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THE BEACON AND THE MONUMENT 



1635 AND 1790. 



BY WILLIAM W. WHEILDON. 



.Illustraictr 



WITH MAPS AND HELIOTYPK PLATES. 



PREPARED FOR THE BUNKER HILL MONUMENT ASSOCIATION. 



O \ 

f 



BOSTON : 
LEE J^ISTTD SHE^JLE-X). 

I 877. 



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SENTRY, OR BEACON HILL 

THE BEACON AND THE MONUMENT. 






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SENTBY, OK BEACON HILL; 



BEACON AND THE MONUMENT 



1635 AKD 1790. 



BY WILLIAM W. WHEILDON. 



ILLUSTRATED WITH PLANS AND HELIOTYPE PLATES. 



6 



CONCORD, MASS.: 

AUTHOR'S PRIVATE PRINTING OFFICE. 

1*77. 



7 



Tl3 



COPY-EIGHT 

BY WILLIAM W. WHE1LDON, 

1876. 

Author's address : Concord, Mass. 



PRESS-WORK 
BY RAND, AVERY AND CO., 

FKANKLIN STREET, 

Boston. 



PREFATORY REMARKS 



So completely has the existence of the Monument which stood 
on Beacon Hill, no longer ago than 1811, passed out of the 
public mind, that few persons are now to be found who remem- 
ber it. and a small number who have ever seen a representation 
of it, or in fact, think they ever heard of it. The tablets which 
have been preserved in the State House, are looked upon as the 
relics or ruins of something long since passed away, and not as 
parts of a noble and beautiful monument, intended to commem- 
orate great historical events and the fruition of the efforts of a 
people to secure their freedom and independence, and which has 
been ruthlessly destroyed. Many persons who have seen the 
engraving of the monument, have asked "if such a monument 
as that represents ever stood in Boston ?" and others, equally 
uninformed, inquire " if that is the original Bunker Hill Mon- 
ument?" We doubt if any intelligent foreigner, acquainted 
with our history, would have to ask such questions. 

In June, 1804, the Bunker Hill Monument Association ap- 
pointed a committee of their members, consisting of William W. 
Wheildon, Robert C. Winthrop, Frederic W. Lincoln, Jr., Win- 



11 PREFATORY REMARKS. 

slow Lewis, and J. Huntington Wolcott, to consider the expedi- 
ency of rebuilding the Beacon Hill Monument of 1790, in Bos- 
ton. The measure had at this time been twice publicly suggest- 
ed, viz : by the committee appointed to prepare the Memoir of 
Solomon Willard, and previously by the Hon. Robert C. Win- 
tlirop, in May, 1859. Mr. Winthrop said 

" Boston did, indeed, as early as 1790, set up on Beacon 
Hill, a simple Doric column, surmounted by our then newly 
adopted national emblem — the Eagle — in commemoration of 
the adoption of the Constitution of the United States and of the 
great revolutionary events by which it was preceded. But Bea- 
con Hill itself was long ago removed into the midst of the sea 
and the shaft reduced to its original elements of brick and stone. 
The old tablets, however, are still to be seen in the Doric hall 
of the State House, and I have sometimes wished that the whole 
column might be set up again in its primal proportions and sim- 
plicity, peering above the trees and flagstaff, on the highest 
elevation of Boston Common, with the original tablets in its 
pedestal."* 

In June, 1865, Mr. Wheildon, in behalf of the committee, 
presented a brief report, in which it is said, " As far as the com- 
mittee have been able to ascertain public opinion on the subject, 
there is a general conviction that the early monument of the 
fathers of the revolution should be restored and a desire that the 
Association should undertake the service." In view of such a 
result the committee procured an act of the legislature which au- 
thorizes the association to rebuild the monument on some suitable 
site and to receive the original tablets from the Commonwealth 
for use in the work ; which act was promptly accepted. 



Address in aid of the Statue ui' Washington. 



PREFATORY REMARKS. Ill 

At the annual meeting in June, 1873, the committee having 
been continued, the chairman made a second report on the sub- 
ject, in which reference is made to the action of the legislature. 
After speaking of the peculiar character of the monument and 
its patriotic inscriptions, the cpiestion is emphatically asked, — 
" Should such a monument as that be disturbed, or if disturbed, 
uncared for and destroyed?" 

The committee would be highly gratified, as they think the 
entire community would be, by the re-building of the Beacon 
Hill Monument. In their last report they suggested that the 
admission fee paid by new members of the association should be 
set apart as the nucleus of a fund for the purpose ; and if this 
were done in good faith, it would soon receive additions by sub- 
scriptions and contributions, and give assurance of the ultimate 
accomplishment of the work. This measure is precisely in ac- 
cordance with the plan originally adopted for the erection of the 
Bunker Hill Monument, and each member upon joining the as- 
sociation, would appreciate the privilege of contributing to the 
patriotic purpose contemplated. 

The committee having reported a historical monograph of Sen- 
try or Beacon Hill, the Beacon and the Monument, — matters 
so intimately and interestingly connected with the history of 
the city, — it is now printed by vote of the association. 

The Heliotype plates with which we have been permitted to 
illustrate the position and relations of the monument and the 
digging away of the hill, are reduced from chromo-lithographs, 
belonging to Mr. George G. Smith, of Boston, the well known 
and now venerable steel engraver. Mr. Smith furnishes the 



IV PREFATORY REMARKS. 

following account of them : Mr. J. R. Smith came to this coun- 
try about 1808. He was a thoroughly educated artist ; so far 
as I know decidedly the most able drawing-master we ever had, 
and full of talent in every way except the faculty of making mo- 
ney. The sketches from which these pictures were taken were 
executed on the spot some time in the year 1811 or '12. They 
are now in my possession, and I think the chromo-lithographs 
were the earliest executed in Boston. They are five in number 
(1 to 5) and were first published in 1855, under the title of 
' : Old Boston." 

We are under great obligations to Mr. Smith for permission 
to use these chromos for the illustration of our subject ; only a 
few copies of them now remain in his hands. The view of the 
town of Boston, Charles River Bridge (built in 1785) and the 
harbor, is taken from the Massachusetts Magazine of June, 
1791, in the Boston Athenaeum. 



STATEMENT OF CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

Beacon or Sentry Hill : Early History: The Three Hills: Johnson's Descrip- 
tion of the Settlement : Wood's description of the Three H. Is: Prince's 
Description of the Peninsula : Shaw's Account : the Three Little Hills : 
Names : Beacon Hill proper. 9 

CHAPTER II. 

First Settlers from Charlestown : Blackstone's Residence and Spring : Mr. 
Isaac Johnson's Lot : the Settlement and the Streets : Sentry street and 
the Common : Temple street and the hill : the Mill Pond and its bounda- 
ry line : Streets around the hill : the "biggest town in America." ly 

CHAPTER III. 

Topographical features of the town ; Changes since 1680 ; the Great Cove and 
Oliver's Dock ; the Broad street Association ; Streets filled from Beacon 
Hill ; A word more about Blackstone's Residence; his sale of the Pen- 
insula ; Reserved estate, including West Hill ; Copley's residence and his 
hill ; sale of the estate ; Purchase of the State House lot; the "sumptu- 
ous city" grown from its hills. 25 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Beacon ; Order for its erection ; What a history it witnessed ; Was it ever 
used as a beacon? Apprehension of danger ; the Pequod War ; the In- 
dians around the town ; False alarm ; Drilling the soldiers for service ; 
scaring them at night ; Opportune arrival of supplies from England ; 
first Thanksgiving. 81 

CHAPTER V. 
Defences around the settlement ; Practical Ideas of the times ; Dogmatic Re- 
* ligion ; Persecutions ; Charles II. commanding Liberty of conscience ; 
Great Fire in 1670 ; Expense of the defences ; Indian visitors entertained 
by the Governor ; the Beacon and Fortifications across the JJeck ; Civil 
War in England ; capture of a ship in the harbor ; the Light house, the 
Castle and the system of signals ; General peacefulness of the settlement ; 
Defences turned against those who built them. 8'.) 



VI. STATEMENT OF CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Vacation of tlie charter ; President Dudley ; Governor Andros and the revo- 
lution of L689 ; account by an eye-witness ; first house on Beacon hill ; 
Expedition against Louisbourg ; Its capture, June 17, 1*45 ; Excitment 
in 1768 ; English troops expected from Nova Scotia ; Proposed use of the 
beacon ; the tar barrel at its top ; the Sons of Liberty out-generalled ; 
the massacre of 1770. 46 

CHAPTER VII. 

Beacon Hill during the Revolution ; English troops in the town, ostensibly to 
preserve order ; Occupying the defences of the colony against the people ; 
the Beacon the earliest device of defence under their control : the Sons of 
Liberty use the church tower to warn the country of danger ; tl.e Port act 
and the continental congress ; the conflict of the 19th of April (partially) 
and the battle of Bunker hill seen ; Fort built upon the hill. 53 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The hill despoiled of its beacon ; Defences of the town after the evacuation; 
The hill and the company gathered there on -the 17th of June ; General 
Gage's proclamation of pardon ; Is exception of Hancock and Adams ; 
counter-proclamation of the provincial congress ; Doggerel account of the 
battle ; Threats against the excepted patriots ; the triumph of their 
cause ; their position as Governor and Lieut. Governor of the State ; the 
last of the beacon. 59 

CHAPTER IX. 

Erection of the monument ; Description of the hill, new state house and the 
monument, from Dennie"s Portfolio, in 1811 ; the monument first propos- 
ed ; Mr. Bultinch the architect furnishes the design ; his connection with 
the hill in various ways ; commencement of the work ; description from 
the Massachusetts .Magazine in 1 7VM > ; absence of all public proceedings or 
ceremonies ; dimensions of the column ; inscriptions upon the tablets 
from Gov. Bowdoin's papers ; their authorship. 65 

CHAPTER X. 

The first public monument of the revolution — Should have been respected and 
preserved — The New State House contemplated by Gov. Hancock — Lay- 
ing the corner-stone by the Grand Lodge — Inscription on the plate — En- 
largement of the building — Its unrivalled location — Extract from the 
journal of a visitor — " Beacon Hill : a local poem." 77 

CHAP1ER XI. 

ELickstone's Spring — TheGreat Spring in Spring Lane — Springate — Mount 
Vernon Springs— Spring in Howard Street — Theory of Dr. Lathrop 
concerning the Beacon Hill Springs — Observations on the well at the 
State House — On the sources and supply of the Springs. 83 



STATEMENT OF CONTENTS. Vll. 

CHAPTER XII. 

The fate of Beacon Hill — Its value as a gravel bank and as real estate — Its 
first owner — Division of the land and future ownership — Col. Shrimp- 
ton — John Yeamans — Its use as a cow pasture — Its principal divis- 
ions — The easterly portion — Hancock mansion — Decease of Thonias 
Hancock and his widow — Inheritance of John Hancock — Final division 
of the property — Naming the streets — Sale of the monument lot by the 
town — Celebrated law case : Thurston vs. Hancock and another. 89 

CHAPTER XI II. 

Plan of the town in 1728 ; Paul Revere"s engraving of the town and harbor • 
View of the town from Dorchester ; Recollections of a merchant ; Recol- 
lections of Dr. Bowditch ; Alford Estate ; Daniel D. Rogers' and William 
Thurston's houses ; Recollections of General Oliver ; of John G. Palfrey ; 
Use of the material of Trimountain ; the Hancock house and grounds ; 
.'>;iss Gardner's Recollections ; the Eulogy on Gov. Bowdoin. 99 

CHAPTER XIV. 

The peninsula as an Indian resort; Discovery of skulls ; Cook's pasture ; the 
Bowdoin estate ; Ropewalks on Hancock street ; Winthrop's " govern- 
mental tent ;" Views from the summit of the hill ; the Copley estate ; 
Millpond corporation ; Digging down the hill ; Preservation of the Tab- 
lets^and the Eagle ; Improvements on the hill and streets. 106 

CHAPTER XV. 

Interest attached to the Monument and the hill ; Commencement of the dig 
ging upon the range ; The hill dug away and streets laid out ; Should 
not the Monument be rebuilt ? Considerations on the subject ; Action of 
the Bunker Hill Monument xVssociation ; Petition to the Legislature ; Act 
authorizing the Association to rebuild the Monument ; Its acceptance by 
the Association ; Conclusion. 110 



PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



The Heliotype (1) facing title-page is one of Mr. Smith's 
chromos, and is a view of the State House (from the north), ot 
the Monument, and the work upon the hill. 

The plate fronting page 9, is a view of Boston and the Monu- 
ment from Breed's Hill, Charlestown, in 1791. 

Page 9. View of Tri-mountain, as it appeared in 1630, to 
Governor Winthrop's company. 

Facing page 23. Plan of Beacon Hill with Beacon, in 
1722. A, is the First Church, nearly opposite King street : C, 
the Old South ; E, King's Chapel ; K, French Church, School 
street; d, the Prjvince House; g, alms house; h, bridewell. 

Page 31. One of the several engravings of the Beacon. 
~~'Page 65. View of Beacon Hill Monument, by Sully. 
' Pao-e 89. 2. Beacon Hill from Mount Vernon street, near 
the head of Hancock street, showing the back side of Mr. 
Thurston's house, the long bank between Mount Vernon and 
Derne streets, with a row of trees on the former. 12 x 15. 

Pao-e 99. 3. Beacon Hill from Mount Vernon, head of Park 
street, showing the easterly end of the State House. 11 x 15. 
' Pao-e 101. 4. Beacon Hill from Temple street, showing the 
lofty summit, with flights of steps leading up. 12 x 16. 

Page 102. 5. Beacon Hill, with Mr. Thurston's house, from 
Bowdoin street, showing the bank where the hill had been dug 
away on that side, and a house on Bowdoin st. 12 x 15 
, Page 110. Plan of Beacon Hill with site of the Monu- 
ment. This plan shows the exact location of the Six Rods 
Square, laid out for the Beacon in 1635. and occupied by the 
Monument in 1790. The dotted lines represent the first path- 
way from the Common. The monument stood at a point 100 
feet from the southeasterly corner of Temple street. 



gENTRY OR BEACON HILL 



S?W 



TRI-MOUNTAIN OH BEACON UILL FROM CHARLESTOWN. 



CHAPTER I. 



Sentry or Beacon ITill — Early History — The Three Hills — Johnson's Des- 
cription of the Settlement — Wood's Description of the Three Hills — 
IVuice's Description of the Peninsula — Shaw's Account — The Three Lit- 
tle Hills — Names — Beacon Hill proper. 

Beacon Hill, although no longer to be recognized in its 
original features and relations, still so far retains its name as 
to be known by it, as Ludgatc Hill in London, is known by the 
name of the street that runs over it. Yet it is historical and 
must ever be remembered as a prominent feature in the geogra- 
phy and the early annals of the city. It has a colonial and a 
revolutionary history of peculiar interest. In its colonial his- 
tory, it was called Tii-mountain and Sentry, until the erection 
of the Beacon upon it, when it was known as Beacon Hill, and 



10 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

was on more than one occasion connected with subjects of very 
considerable interest to the colonists. It was a conspicuous 
object in the landscape on the approach of the early settlers 
and was generally the first land made on entering the haiior. 
It was the most prominent of the Three Hills which character- 
ized the toAvn, — on one of which the first Colonial Fort was 
built ; on another was erected the Beacon for alarming the 
country in case of danger or any outbreak, and the third be- 
came celebrated in later times as the location of the battery 
which played upon Bunker Hill and set fire to Charlestown. 
Sentry or Beacon Hill, with its three peculiar peaks, was spoken 
of as a mountain, and, in view of its comparative height and 
surroundings, appears to have merited that distinction. It 
comprised more than one hundred acres of land, and the ascent 
was gradual on the easterly and south-easterly sides. Although 
greatly reduced in elevation and covered with buildings which 
mark the spot from all distant points of view, it is still the 
highest land within the peninsula. The commanding position 
of the State House, on the summit of the present hill, in 
the general view of the city, indicates how prominent and pic- 
turesque was the hill itself in its integrity, when it finished and 
gave symmetry to the landscape. From the surrounding coun- 
try and the harbor, the State House, whose golden dome is 
somewhat higher than the summit of the "hill in the days of 
the colony and town, is the most conspicuous object in the city, 
and like the original hill, gives expression to the settlement 
which it overlooks and crowns with dignity the living picture. 

The Three Hills which we have mentioned, are defined by 
Capt. Edward Johnson, in his " Wonder-working Providence," 



SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 11 

in a very quaint description of the town, twenty years after 
its settlement, as follows : 

" Invironed as it is with the Brinish flouds, saving one small 
" Istmos which gives free accesse to the neighbor townes, by land 
"on the south side ; on the northwest and northeast, two con- 
stant Faires [ferries] are kept for daily traffique thereunto. — 
' ; The forme of this Town is like a heart, naturally scituated for 
" fortifications, having two hills on the frontice part thereof, 
"next the sea ; the one well fortified on the superfices thereof 
'• with store of great artillery well mounted. The other hath 
• - a very strong battery,* built of Avhole Timber and filled with 
"Earth, at the descent of the hill [Copp's HillfJ in the extreme 
" poynt thereof ; betwixt these two strong armes lies a large 
" Cave or Bay, on which the chiefest part of this Town is built, 
" over-topped with a third hill ; all three like over-topping tow- 
"ers, keepe a constant watch to fore-see the approach of forrein 
" dangers, being furnished with a Beacon and lowd babling 
"guns, to give notice by their redoubled eccho to all their sister 
" townes. The chiefe edifice of this city-like Towne is crowded 
" on the Sea-bankes. and wharfed out with great industry and 
" cost, the buildings beautifull and large ; some fairly set forth 
" with brick, tile, stone and slate, and orderly placed with comly 
" streets, whose continuall inlargement presages some sumptuous 
" city. The wonder of this moderne age, that a few years should 
"bring forth such great matters by so meane a handfull."J 

Wood, another of the early historians of New England who 



* North Battery. t Mill or Snow hill, find afterwards (as now) Copp's 

hill. Win. Copp, a shoe tmker, tcok the oath in 1G41, and owned the mill. 
J " Wonder-working Providence of Sion's Saviour in New -England." 



12 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

have made their names famous by their quaint narratives, 
speaks of the Three Hills as follows : 

" Having on the south side at one corner, a great broad hill, 
" whereon is planted a Fort, which can command any ship as 
" shee sayles into any Harbour within the still Bay.* On the 
" North side is another Hill equall in bignesse, whereon stands 
" a Windc-mill. To the North-west is a high Mountaine with 
" three little rising Hills on the top of it, 'whereof it is called 
" the Tr amount. From the top of this Mountaine a man may 
" overlooke all the Hands which lie before the Bay, and discry 
" such ships as are upon the Sea-coast." \ 

Under the date of September 7, 1G30, old style, when Bos- 
ton received its present name from the Court of Assistants, at 
Charlestown, Prince J makes the following observations : 

" Thus this remarkable Peninsula, about two Miles in 
" Length and one in Breadth, in those times, appearing at High 
" Water in the Form of two Islands who's Indian Name was 
" Shawmut ; but I suppose on the account of three contiguous 
" Hills appearing in a range to those at Charlestown, by the 
" English call'd at first Trimountai/i, and now reccivesthe 
" Name of Boston. Which Deputy Governor Dudley says, 
" they had before intended to call the Place they first resolv'd 
"on ; and Mr. Hubbard, that they gave this Name on the ac- 
" count of Mr. Cotton, [the then famous Puritan Minister of 
" Boston in England ; for whom they had the highest Rcver- 



* Boston harbor was then called Massachusetts Eay. 
t " New- Ed gland's Prospect," London, 163-1. 

t " Chronological History of New England in the Form of Annals," by 
Thomas Prince. M. A. Boston, N. E., iidccxxxvi. 



SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. ' 13 

;( ence. and of whose coming over they were doubtless in some 
•• hopeful Prospect. ] " 

In speaking of Sentry Hill, Shaw says " by the first settlers 
" of Charlcstown it was called Tre-mount, on account of its 
i; three hills, which to them appeared in range. These were not. 
"however, Beacon, Copp's and Fort Hills, as generally sup- 
" posed, but three little rising hills on the top of a high moun- 
'• tain on the north-west side of the town. This high mountain 
" is the high ground extending from the head of Hanover street, 
" south-westerly to the water beyond the new State House, the 
" summit of which was since called Beacon Hill, now almost 
" levelled to its base."* 

When the Peninsula bore the Indian name of Shawmutf and 
Blackstone was its only inhabitant, and Charlestown bore that 
of Mishawum and Walford was its only inhabitant, names had 
not been given to the Three Hills. The building of the Fort 
furnished a name for one of them, the Wind-mill for a time, 
the name for another, and the central hill, with its three little 
hills, received the name of Tra-mount, which it retained until it 
was used as a lookout. — a place of observation and watching, — 
when it was called Sentry Hill : after the erection of the Bea- 
con, in 1635, it received the name of Beacon Hill, and lost the 
name of Tra-mount or Tre-mount. -which it had conferred upon 
the town. So that we have had for this hill the names of 
Sentry, Tra-mount and Bea:on ; and for the settlement those of 



* *• Topographical and Historical Description of Boston," 1817. 

t Where docs our sometime Minister at London, Geo. M. Dallas, find his 
authority for the phrase •' Puritan Villagers of Ishmut, at the head of -Massa- 
chusetts Bay" ? See speech at Boston, England. 



14 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

Shawmut, Tra-mountaine and Boston. Prior to the settlement 
the peninsula was called Elackstonc's Neck. 

The Three Hills which we have described, so prominent and 
conspicuous in the landscape and history of the city, were re- 
garded ; ' with a kind of religious veneration, and Boston is not 
less distinguished for her three hills than Rome for her Seven." 
Each has been distinguished in the colonial and revolutionary 
periods : one was fortified by the colonists for their defence, and 
the other two by the British army in carrying on the war 
against the Americans.* They have been conspicuous in local 
historic dramas, both peaceful and warlike, and of course, 
have been much reduced in height as well as changed in use. — 
One of them, — known as Fort Hill, — within a few years, has 
entirely disappeared and the material used in the construction 
of Atlantic Avenue, — the border street on the harbor and the 
most prominent commercial avenue in the city. Upon the top 
of this hill, on the 24th of May, 1G32, the colonists commenc- 
ed the erection of a Fort, which was for a long time the most 
conspicuous and important means of defence in the settlement. 
The people of Charlestown, Roxbury and Dorchester assisted in 
building this celebrated fort. This hill was the scene of much 
interest and great excitement in the Andros rebellion, in 1689, 
almost precisely one hundred years before the building of the 
Beacon Hill Monument. 

The first' of the three Little Hills which constituted the range 
as seen from Charlestown, received the name of Cotton Hill, 



In 1774, when Gage's soldiers were in want of barracks, it was propos- 
ed " to put two companies into i solid barrack or block house, on the top of 
Bacon Hill, which should be enclosed with a trench and pallisade." 



SENTRY OR BEACON EILL. 15 

and afterwards Pemberton Hill. Drake says, " Cotton Hill 
<: was an eminence near the southerly termination of Pemberton 
'■ Square, and nearly opposite the gate of King's Chapel Bury- 
ing Ground. The Rev. John Cotton resided near it, (now 
" Tremont Row.) and hence its name." Henry Vane, a young 
religions fanatic of noble family in England, who came over in 
1635 and was chosen Governor in 1G36, " had a small house 
'• which he lived in. at the side of the hill above Queen (Court) 
t: street, which he gave to Rev. John Cotton, at the time he 
(Vane,) returned to England." According to Drake, Cotton 
lived at the place named, adjoining what was afterwards the 
estate of Lieut. Gov. Phillips.* before Vane came out, and Vane 
lived with him, making a small addition to the house r which he 
gave to Cotton when he left the country ; but it would seem by 
Hutchinson's note that Vane built the house, which we think, 
is probably correct. At any rate Sir Henry Vane, when only 
twenty-four years of age, was elected governor over Winthrop 
and Dudley, and lived in the first house erected on Beacon 
Hill, if he did not build it. Fanatic, as he was in this country, 
in England he joined the Parliament against the King and 
upon the Restoration of Charles II., in 1GG2, was convicted of 
treason and beheaded — execrated and lamented ; eulogized and 
denounced. 



* Gov. Phillips's house was originally built by the uncle of Peter Fan- 
euil, who inheritei it. On the summer house, very near the spot now occu- 
pied by the First Baptist Church (Rev. Dr. Neale's) was a gilded grass-hop- 
per, like that now on Fancuil hall, which some persons erroneously suppose 
belongs to the arms of the Faneuil family. 



16 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

The second hill in the range was Sentry or Beacon Hill, and 
the latter name, since the early times, has included the other 
two hills. It was the centi'al point,* and was somewhat more 
elevated than either of the other summits. Shaw says "the 
form of the hill resembled a sugar loaf " — a comparison not 
entirely borne out by what we know of the hill, but more cor- 
rect in respect to the view from Charlestown, as represented in 
the engraving, than of those from its other sides. Its top was 
comparatively flat for the space of six rods at least, in the centre 
of which was the Beacon and afterwards the Monument. 

Snow speaks of " Beacon Hill with its two eminences * * 
" extending through the centre of the peninsula, from the river 
" (Charles) to the coves. * * Of late years, while 
"it laid open as a pasture ground for cattle, the barberry and 
"the wild rose grew upon it. The eminence almost contigu- 
ous to Beacon Hill on the east, was rather higher than that 
"on its western side. It reached towards Tremont street and 
" thence with a very slow descent in three directions, led to the 
" Springate, the Market Cove and the Mill-pond through 
" Sudbury street. " 

The third hill was at the western extremity of the range, and 
was variously called Copley's Hill, Mount Vernon and Mount 
Horam, and possibly some other impolite names. On a map 
drawn by Henry Telham, in 1776, a portion of Beacon Hill, 



*It is possible that this fact, "the Central point," rather than that 
previously stated, gave to the hill its first name, Centry ; but as it was always 
regarded as a lookout, where the colonists 'kept watch to foresee the approach 
of forrein dangers," we give the preference to Sentry, as probably correct. 



SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 17 

just south of the present location of Louisburg Square, is called 
Copley's Hill. Before the settlement it was West Hill. It ■was 
of no great account in the colonial times, but was fortified by 
the British in 1775, and was finally dug down and the earth 
used to fill up the river and form Charles street, for many years 
the border street on that side of the town. Snow says, " the 
" westernmost eminence or left shoulder of this hill, as Johnson 
" might call it, making no unapt comparison of the three to the 
" head and shoulders of a man, was farther from the Beacon, 
" and occupied what is now called Mount Vernon. The highest 
"points were probably between Sumner* and Pinkney streets, 
' ; giving an easy descent towards Cambridge street on the north, 
" and a more rapid one to Beacon street on the south. On the 
" top. directly opposite Charles street meeting-house, there was 
" a boiling spring open in three places, at a height of not less 
" than ei^htv feet above the water." 

Scarcely any trees were growing on the Peninsula at the 
time of its settlement and the hills were bare, so that AYood 
says, "their greatest wants be AVood and Meadow-ground, 
" which were never in that place." He speaks, however, of 
"rich Corne-fields and fruitfull gardens; having likewise 
" sweete and pleasant Springs." The Great Tree on the Com- 
mon, was known as a great tree in 1784. 

There can be no doubt, we think, that Beacon Hill properly 
included, as has been said, the range of hills from the head of 
Hanover street to Charles River, or from the river to the coves ; 
and this area was bounded by a base line which is approximately 



* Sumner Street is described as running " From Rogers' corner round the 
new State house, 8 W. by Beacon hill." "In 1833, it was erased." 



18 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

represented at this time by Tremont, Court, Cambridge and 
Charles streets and a line extending from the Milldam across 
the Common to Park street church. It was distant and entirely 
distinct from Copp's Hill and Fort Hill, lying southwest from 
the former, northwest from the latter and north from the neck, 
nearly in the centre of the peninsula. It was conspicuous, as 
we have seen, by its height and commanding prospect, and was 
made more so by its three peculiar summits, all of which, — 
whatever regrets there maybe concerning them, — have been 
made so available in the enlargement and improvement of the 
city. The name of Tra-mount, therefore, from the appearance 
of the range, was correctly applied and with apt propriety by 
the early settlers at Charlestown ; and after the disappearance 
of the three peaks it was very natural for later writers to sup- 
pose that the name was derived from the three distinct hills. 



CHAPTER II. 



First Settlers from Charlestown — 'Blackstoue's Residence and Spring — Mr. 
Isaac Johnson and his Lot — The Settlement and the Streets — Sentry 
street and the Common — Temple street and the hill — The -Mill-pond 
and its boundary line — Streets around the hill — The "Biggest town 
in America." 

The first settlers of Boston, -who came over from Charles- 
town at the invitation of Mr. William Blackstone,* (who is 
supposed to have settled here in 1623, or about that time,) are 
said to have "pitched their tents at the base of the three hills, 
on the eastern side." This would be near the foot of Court 
street and from thence to School street and the neighborhood of 
Springate, now Spring Lane, where was located the best known 
spring in the peninsula, and which was a great inducement to 
those of Charlestown to remove. Blackstone's Spring, so called, 
was that on the westerly slope of Beacon Hill, near where the 
grass plat now is in Louisburg Square. " This," it is said, 
" poured forth its waters in bounteous streams in 1784, and 
" even much later, until the hill was removed and Louisburg 
" Square laid out, about the year 1834." Another spring is 



* Some writers spell his name Blaxton ; but that which we use is accepted 
officially by the city. 



20 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

spoken of as running from the [north] eastern head of Beacon 
Hill into Howard street, — and this spring, under the Howard 
Athenaeum,, is still in abundant use. 

There seems to be some diversity of opinion as to where 
Blackstone lived ; or rather perhaps as to names and localities. 
One account says he lived at the northerly end of the peninsula, 
since known as Barton's Point, and where for many years 
the town's poor house stood. He probably did not live within 
a half mile of this point. Dr. Shurtleff says " Blackstone's 
" Point was in the neighborhood of West Cedar street, and be- 
" tween Cambridge and Pinkney streets. East of this was 
"situated Mr. Blackstone's garden, and not far distant was the 
" memorable spring which supplied him with water."* 

But wherever those from Charlestown " pitched their tents," 
wherever Blackstone lived or wherever his spring was located, 
it is undoubtedly true that "many removed to the north end, 
which became the most elegant and populous part of the town." 
It is suggested that some of them may have remained or after- 
wards located "at the base of the hills;" but it does not ap- 
pear that any of them built upon the hill prior to Mr. Vane 
or the Rev. Mr. Cotton, in 1633 or 1635. It is said, however, 
that that " pious gentleman," Mr. Isaac Johnson, one of the 
Massachusetts Company, who arrived at Salem in June, 1630, 
selected for his lot the square now bounded by Court, Wash- 
ington, School and Tremont streets, at the base of Cotton Hill ; 



* We do not think Barton's Point and Blackstone's Point were the same : 
the former was north of Cambridge street, near Leverett street, on which the 
poor house when it was removed from Beacon street, in 1801, was erected, and 
the latter was south of it at the foot of the hill, where Washington proposed 
to land the first division of his army, in 1776. 



SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 21 

but Mr. Johnson died before the removal from Charlestown, on 
the 30th of September, and very possibly was buried, not in the 
lot described, as stated on the authority of Judge Sewall, at the 
base of the hill, but near the remains of his beloved and beau- 
tiful wife Arabella, who died at Salem about a month previous- 
ly—or it may be in Charlestown. He was early and earnest 
in favor of the removal to Boston, as proposed by Blackstone ; 
and, it is said, selected or received by grant, the lot above 
mentioned, between Washington and Tremont streets. Dying 
so soon after his arrival in this country, and before the removal 
of the church from Charlestown, it is not probable that he ever 
occupied or improved the lot in any way. 

It is well known, however, that the principal settlement of 
the town was around the cove and at the north end ; that is 
to say, north of the creek which separated that portion from 
the peninsula and made it an island. Of course, the settlement 
gradually moved towards the south, keeping generally along 
the " sea-bankes," and there were no buildings upon the hill, — 
excepting as already mentioned at the base, — for many years. 
Views of the town as late as 1757 and 1774, do not show any 
houses on the hill ; and in Paul Revere's engraving of 1768, 
the buildings are along the shore and Beacon Hill is seen above 
the town in the distance. 

Streets — or rather lanes and alleys — had been laid out at 
the north end, along the docks and wharves, and towards the 
west and south, while unmade roads and paths extended beyond 
in different directions and over the neck of the peninsula, —so 
that the streets of Boston, not without reason, are said to have 
been laid out originally as cow paths. On the 30th of March, 
1040, it appears by the records of the town, a street was laid 



22 BEACON OR SENTRY HILL. 

out to lead up to the hill, which at this time was a great pas- 
ture ; and a space of six rods square was reserved for public 
use on its summit, which included the Beacon. This street was 
called Sentry or Centry street, and represented Park street of 
the present day. Under the same date it was " Ordered, that 
" henceforth there shall be no land granted either for house 
" plot or garden, to any person, out of the open ground or com- 
" mon field, which is left between the Sentry Hill and Mr. 
" Colburn's end, except three or four lots to make up the street 
" from brother Robert Walker's to the Round Marsh."* Also, 
" ordered that the street from Mr. Atherton Haulghe"s to Sen- 
" try Hill, be laid out and so kept open forever." This is sup- 
posed to be School street and that part of Beacon street lead- 
ing to the State House. 

" A street was early laid out in the vicinity, if not in the 
" very course of Temple street, and those among us not very 
"old can well remember Beacon Hill steps, which stood at the 
" head of it, to conduct us to a spot that we shall ever recollect 
" with pleasure and regret. The top of this beautiful hill was 
" 138 feet and a half above the level of the sea. It afforded 
"an 'extensive and most enchanting prospect of the country 
" round,' and of the islands in the harbor. The spirit of spec- 
ulation has in an evil hour laid it low, and posterity must 
" satisfy themselves with a dull description instead of enjoying 
" the reality." f* Posterity is easily satisfied in this matter. 



*Snow says, " the field of Mr. Colburn contained the greater part of the 
present Common, and probably extended at that time as far as Beacon street." 

t Snow's History of Boston. 



Plait of BEACON Ilia with site o/'rrtoiutmcnJ. 

ISY6. 




SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 23 

When we consider the height of this hill and the steepness of 
its spurs on the north, northeast and northwest sides, — where 
in fact the waters of Charles River and the Cove, (afterwards 
the Mill-pond) came up to the rising ground around its base, — 
we cannot wonder that it was dug away and the material in 
part applied to the grading of its sides, making them inhab- 
itable and more than doubling the amount of land in that sec- 
tion of the peninsula. The line of the Mill-pond is described 
as passing along the margin of Mill-pond street, where about 
one half of the First Baptist Church hung over it ; thence more 
easterly across Union, Friend and Portland streets ; thence 
westerly across Pitts and Gooch streets to Leverett street, being 
at this point a short distance from Temple street, which leads 
directly up the hill. In any practical view of the matter 
with reference to the growth of the town and its future, in 
the digging away of this hill, there can be nothing for pos- 
terity to regret. The reduction of all three of the hills, then 
or later, was inevitable. The fate of Fort Hill shows what 
would have been that of Beacon Hill had it been left in its 
original form. 

In a list of streets in Boston, in 1722,* are the following : 

" From Beacon street, N. W. to Allen's orchard, Davies' 
Lane, now Walnut street. 

"From Alford's corner to Century Hill, Century street, now 
Belknap street. 

" From Beacon street, northerly to Cambridge street, George 
street — same now." 

t " The Ya.de Mecum for America," Bostou. 1723. 



24 BEACON OR SENTRY HILL. 

In Shaw's " Topographical and Historical Description of 
Boston," the following streets are named : 

"The way leading from Mr. Whitcomb's corner, the house if 
Capt. Fairweather, westerly through the upper side of the Com- 
mon, and so down to the sea, Beacon street." 

" The way leading from Beacon street, on the upper side of 
the Common, unto Mr. Allen's orchard, Davies' Lane." * 

" The way leading from Beacon street, between Capt. Al ford's 
land and Madame Shrimpton's pasture, up to Centrey Hill, — 
Centrey street." Drake says, " other streets have been called 
Centry or Century street, as a part of Sudbury, part of Queen 
and the whole of Park street." 

The streets represented on Bonner's Map. in 1722. in the 
vicinity of Beacon Hill, are Centrey (Park) street, Beacon 
street, Davies' Lane and George street ; and on the east and 
northeast at the base of Cotton Hill, Tremont street and South- 
ack's court. 

Hermon Moll, an intelligent geographer, as he is called, in 
speaking of Boston, in 1717, says it "is reckoned the biggest 
" town in America, except some which belong to the Spaniards. 
" It lies on the coast, defended by a strong Castle in an island 
"at the mouth of the harbor, and on the shore by forts on two 
" or three neighboring hills, which command the avenues." At 
this time there was the fortification on Fort Hill and the North 
and South batteries, but none on Beacon Hill. In the author- 
ity for building Long Wharf, the end was to be left free for the 
town to plant guns for defence, if occasion should require, but 
none were placed there. 



CHAPTER III. 



Topographical features of the City — Changes since 1G30 —The Great Covo 
and Oliver's Dock — Filling up and Improvement — Streets filled from 
Beacon Hill — A word more about Blackstone's residence— Sale of the 
Peninsula — Reserved Estate, including West Hill — Copley's Residence 
and his hill — Sale of the estate — Purchase of the State House lot — The 
'• sumptuous city" grown from its hills. 

We may perceive pretty distinctly from what has been said 
something of the peculiar topographical features of the penin- 
sula and its three hills, soon after its settlement by the company 
from Charlestown. It was in fact a peninsula and (by rea- 
son of the canal from the Mill-pond to the Cove,) an island, 
and very often at high water, when the tides swept across the 
Neck, which they did more or less frequently, for more than a 
hundred and seventy-five years after Blackstone's time, it was 
two islands. The Three Hills were the landmarks, as well as 
the outlooks, and in position formed very nearly a triangle — as 
if they might have been originally a group of islands. 

The reader may find it difficult to realize the truthfulness of 
the sketch purporting to represent in its original integrity, the 
most prominent of these Three Hills, (the tri-mountain of the 
period,) as seen from Charlestown, in 1G30 ; but there is no 



26 SENTRY OR BKACON HILL. 

reason that we are aware of to discredit its general correctness. 
It is now two hundred and forty years since the peninsula was 
purchased of Mr. Blackstone. and from that time to this, every 
year and every day, its topography as well as its public 
buildings and private residences, has been undergoing changes 
of the most variable and extensive character. The several hills 
of which we have spoken, and especially the tri-mountain, have 
largely contributed to these obvious changes, some of them com- 
paratively recent. If it be true as stated, that five-eighths of 
the city proper at the present time is built upon made land, it is 
certain that the city owes much more to its three hills than has 
generally been supposed. 

The Great Cove, — nearly or quite as large as the Mill-pond 
on the opposite side of the peninsula, — extended from the pre- 
sent Lewis's wharf to Eowe's wharf, and reached inside of the 
present North street, Merchants' Row and Kilby street, to Fed- 
eral and Battery-march streets. On its north side a creek 
came in from the North Cove, afterwards the Mill-pond, and this 
creek when widened and walled up, formed what was thereafter 
the Canal. This was on the line of Blackstone street. The 
Maine railroad depot stands directly over the old canal and the 
track follows it to Charles river. There were two ether creeks, 
or branches, that came into Great Cove : one from Franklin 
street and the other from Spring lane, coming together in Lib- 
erty square, besides the docks. 

" An aged gentleman, who lived near the spot, says that 
when the foundation of Joy's building was preparing, the re- 
mains of the hull of an old vessel, or large boat, with fragments 
of canvas and tarred rope, were dug up, which shews that the 
place had been once used for a graving vard, or some similar 



SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 27 

purpose." "On the spot now covered by Joy's building stood 
a shop improved by one Kent, a tanner. His tan yard was in 
the rear, and in front was a wharf for the accommodation of his 
small vessels." This was Oliver's dock. 

In the creek which extended towards Federal street, smelts 
were caught near the meeting house ; and an old inhabitant 
once stated that he had 'seen the water there three feet deep. 
A greater part of Congress street, the whole of Kilby street, 
and Liberty square, part of Water and Milk streets and Federal 
street, were built on flats originally covered with salt water. 
Boats sailed from the South Battery to the rise of land in 
King street, (State street.) 

This Great Cove, which comprises so large a section of 
the commercial part of the city, — including land worth almost 
as much per foot as Blackstone received for the whole peninsu- 
la, — is now worth many millions of dollars, and is covered with 
as fine a class of buildings, public and private, as can be found 
in any other city in the country. The inner portions of the 
Cove were filled at a very early period, probably with gravel 
taken from the northerly spurs of Beacon Hill, long before 
the building of Charles street from West Hill, or the filling up 
of the Mill-pond. It could have come from no other place : 
Copp's Hill could not supply it, and it is pretty certain, we 
think, that no portion of it was taken from Fort Hill, whereon 
was the principal defence of the harbor. 

If we are right in this conclusion, then State street, Water 
street, Congress street, Liberty Square, Broad street and part 
of Federal street, are composed of material from Beacon Hill, 
as on the other side of the town are Charles street, part of 
Leverett street Lowell street, Causeway street and the whole 



28 SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

area of the Mill-pond. So that we find the material of Beacon 
Hill spread over a very large portion of the business part of 
the present city, forming the substratum of the streets on its 
westerly, northerly and easterly sides. 

One word more concerning Blackstone, his residence and the 
sale of the peninsula by him — all points of great interest in 
the early history of the town. There does not appear to be 
any reason to doubt the correctness of the conclusions of Dr. 
Shurtleff in regard to his residence, as already quoted. Black- 
stone would not build his cottage or lay out such grounds as he 
had, at any season of the year, in such an exposed location as 
Barton's Point, but rather as has been said, "chose the sunny 
southwest slope of Beacon Hill for his residence;" and although 
Cotton and Vane may have located themselves on the northerly 
spur of the same hill, near to the settlement, at the time of 
their coming, it probably is true that the first Avhite inhabi- 
tant of what is now the city of Boston, had the good sense to 
pitch his tent upon its southerly slope, where he planted the 
first orchard on the continent. There is no memorial to mark 
the place of his residence, — such as might easily be accom- 
plished by an exchange of the names of Louisburg and Black- 
stone Squares, — yet the name is preserved to the city, more or 
less appropriately, in Blackstone Street, Blackstone Bank, &c. 

It seems to be very well understood, notwithstanding any dis- 
crepancies in the statements, that when Blackstone parted with 
his interest in the peninsula, whatever that interest was, he re- 
served six acres for his own use and improvement. It appears 
by the records and deeds that the inhabitants "did agree with 
Mr. Blackstone for the purchase of his estate and right in any 
lands lying within the said Neck, called Boston." in 1634, as- 



SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 



29 



sessing each householder six shillings, " none paying less, some 
considerably more," for X30, he "reserving only about six 
acres on the point commonly called Blackstone's Point, in part 
whereof his dwelling house stood." 

These six acres certainly included West Hill, as it was then 
called ; his garden, orchard and spring. The estate thus consti- 
tuted, extended on its westerly side to Charles River, where 
Charles street was built, and between Cambridge Bridge and 
the Milldam was Blackstone's Point. This estate, many years 
afterwards, fell into the possession of Copley the painter, and 
his house at that time was on Beacon street, and the hill was 
called Copley's Hill, and since Mount Vernon. Copley, it 
seems, contracted to sell the estate when he went to England, 
and afterwards, finding that he had agreed upon too low a price, 
sent his son, Lord Lyndhurst to this country with a view of 
voiding the contract, on the ground that he had been misinform- 
ed, (probably uninformed), in regard to the improvements 
(erection of the new State House, &c.) which were soon to be 
made in the neighborhood, which would greatly increase the 
value of the property ; but of course the scheme failed, and in 
1706, Lord Lyndhurst executed a deed of the property to Har- 
rison Gray Otis, who built his house upon a part of it, and 
Jonathan Mason. The year previous to the execution of this 
deed, in 1795, the town purchased of Gov. Hancock's heirs, 
the land for the State House, just below the summit of the hill. 
This land was afterwards conveyed to the Commonwealth, on 
certain conditions which have probably been complied with in 
the erection of the edifice which now so beautifully and appro- 
priately crowns this famous hill. 



3° SENTRY OR BEACON HILL. 

What Capt. Johnson, in his "Wonder-working Providence," 
said of the peninsula, in 1650, — » whose continuall inlarge- 
ment presages some sumptuous city," —has been realized ; and 
the changes must have commenced very soon after the settle- 
ment of the town, since at the end of twenty years, Johnson ex- 
pressed his surprise : " behold the admirable acts of Christ : at 
his people's landing the hideous thickets in this place were such 
that wolfes and beares nurst up their young from the eyes of all 
beholders, where [now] the streets are full of girls and boys 
sporting up and down with a continuous concourse of people." 
The sumptuous city which he so distinctly foresaw, — except- 
ing its more recent enlargement on the South Cove and Charles 
River, — may almost be said to have been made from its three 
prominent and historic hills, chiefly from its tri-mountain. 




THE BEACON AND ITS USE 



CHAPTER IV. 



The Beacon — Order for its erection — What a History it witnessed ! — Was 
it ever used? — Apprehension of Danger — The Pequod War — The In- 
dians around Boston — False Alarm — Drilling the Soldiers — Scaring 
them — Opportune arrival — First Thanksgiving. 



Although never improved by 
the colonists as a position or point 
of defence, as was Fort Hill, which 
directly commanded the harbor, 
as early as 1632-3, Beacon Hill 
was used as a post of observation 
or look-out, and in 1635, the cel- 
ebrated Beacon, from which it de- 
rives its name, was erected, under 
an order of the General Court of 
the Colony, on the 4th of March, 
1634-5, as follows : 

•' It is ordered, that there shalbe 
forth with a beacon sett on the 
centry hill at Boston, to give no- 
tice to the country of any danger, 
& that there shalbe a ward of one 
pson kept there from the first of April to the last of Septr., & 




32 THE BEACON AND ITS USE. 

that upon the discov'y of any danger, the beacon shalbe fired, 
an allarum given, as also messengers presently sent by that 
towne where the danger is discov'ed, to all other townes within 
their jurisdiccon." 

This is distinctly the origin and purpose of the beacon ; but 
how such an arrangement was expected to work, either by day 
or night, or how messengers were to be sent, we are unable to 
explain. The descriptions and representations of this famous 
beacon differ somewhat in their minor particulars. It was a tall 
pole or mast, not surmounted by a barrel, as has been repre- 
sented, but there was projecting from one side of it an iron 
crane supporting an iron pot. The mast was placed on cross- 
timbers with a stone foundation, was supported by braces and 
provided with cross sticks serving the purpose of a ladder for as- 
cending to the crane. The hook, or half- crescent, at top in the 
engraving, like the tar barrel, is a modern addition. 

It is a remarkable fast that this beacon, if the recorded dates 
concerning it are correct, remained — with the exception perhaps 
of a single year, (1775-C), when the hill was fortified by Gen. 
Howe, — for more than a hundred and fifty years ; after which 
at the conclusion of the revolutionary war, its place was occu- 
pied by the beautiful Doric column, erected in 1790, to com- 
memorate both the events and the result of the American Rev- 
olution. What a history it witnessed ! Of course it had to be 
renewed occasionally, but we have found no record of its ever 
having been used for the purpose intended; and notwithstanding 
the somewhat poetical expressions about illuminating the skies 
and throwing its warning light over the country, used oratori- 
cally, we very much doubt if there ever was a spark of fire 



THE BEACON AND ITS USE. 33 

in its iron pot. If there ever had been it would doubtless have 
found mention somewhere. It may, therefore, be considered a 
little doubtful if the Beacon was kept up and renewed, as stated, 
for so long a period without interruption. 

The apprehensions of danger from the Indians at this time, 
from what had occurred elsewhere, Avas natural enough but was 
probably greater than was authorized by the existing relations 
of the parties, which were amicably commenced and had been 
peaceably continued. Several murders which occurred prior to 
the breaking out of the Pequod war, in 1636, and alarmed the 
English settlers, hardly disturbed the colonists at Boston, 
and it seems doubtful if any necessity arose for alarming the ad- 
jacent country on their account. There is no record of any 
trouble Avith the Indians about Boston, either at this time or 
later. They were altogether friendly from first to last, and it 
is quite likely that the settlers annoyed the Indians as much 
as the Indians did the settlers, perhaps more. As early as 1632, 
it was said " less is heard of annoyance from the many Indians 
which must have visited Boston, probably every day, than could 
reasonably have been expected, when it is considered that they 
could not have had any adequate idea of the white people's 
laws and their rules of propriety in intercourse." When they 
committed offences they were punished, and in one instance at 
least Chickatawbet was made to beat some of his own men while 
they were in the bilboes. In the same year the Indians com- 
plained that their crops were injured by the domestic animals 
belonging to the English, the planting grounds not being fenced 
in. Some kind of compensation was given and the court made 
John Sagamore agree that the next year he would fence his 
grounds. In 1640, Josias Plastow was brought before the court 



34 THE BEACON AND ITS USE. 

for stealing four baskets of corn from the Indians, and he was 
thereupon "ordered to return eight baskets, to be fined <£5 and 
to be called Josias and not Mr. Josias as heretofore." Previous 
to this exemplary proceeding, in 1637, Mr. Drake says, "while 
the whole of New England was distracted by war with the In- 
dians, Boston was more distracted, if possible, with religious 
dissensions, in which parents were set against children, children 
against parents, brother against brother, as is always the case, 
in religious as well as political controversies." "Danger from 
the Indians" was also considered as pending at this time : in 
fact it may be said to have been pending all the time, while the 
Indians remained in the neighborhood, although there was very 
little reason to fear any irruption or outbreak. 

The Indians around Boston were of small account either as 
friends or enemies, in point of fact, although, had they been 
so disposed and united in purpose, they might have done the 
settlers much harm. Their haunts were more in the interior of 
the country, and their residence near the salt water rather occa- 
sional than permanent. They do not appear to have had any 
idea of attempting to expel the settlers, either those of Boston 
or those of Charlestown. or of making Avar upon them. — 
The rumors of great gatherings at Muddy Brook, (Brookline) 
were only a scare, and fortunately it was so, for when Captain 
Underbill, the military genius of the time, caused an alarm to 
be given to try the courage of his soldiers, who had been or- 
dered out and drilled in the night to meet the emergency, " most 
of them were paralyzed with fear and their conduct was dis- 
graceful to soldiers." This matter rather increased the fear 
of the Indians and the interest in the Beacon, and the Governor 
sent for " the three next Sagamores to come to Boston immedi- 



THE BEACON AND ITS USE. o5 

ately" ; but before they came the expected ship Lyon arrived, 
with provisions and settlers, and the first Thanksgiving was 
held in the colony. The supposed Indian dangers were forgot- 
ten : and it is not improbable that the Indians were deterred 
from further proceedings by the opportune coming of the ship, 
together with a knowledge of the military movement, which, if 
it impressed the natives, served rather to disgust the colo- 
nists. Still, in the possibility of things and of events occurring 
elsewhere, it was deemed necessary to be on the lookout for 
whatever might happen, or whatever might come out of the un- 
explored regions of the forest. To be forewarned was to be fore- 
armed, and the Beacon was therefore kept up. But if in all 
these years there had been little occasion for alarm, or for the 
use of the Beacon and the guardianship of the ward, as between 
the colonists and the natives, it was not dreamed that there 
ever would be occasion for their use to warn the people of the 
approach of any danger from the mother country. 

In an old engraving of the town, in which is represented the 
First Episcopal Church, (King's Chapel,) in 1720, the upper 
portion of Beacon Hill, with its lofty beacon pole, is includ- 
ed, and up to this time it is said to have preserved very nearly 
its primitive appearance, and did so for many years afterwards, 
so far as the summit was concerned. For more than a hundred 
years from the settlement of the city, the hill had remained 
almost intact, excepting its spurs. In 17G4, it is said, "Bea- 
con Hill had probably suffered very little diminution in height." 
Probably not any, as its simmit, — mostly included in the 
first reservation of six rods square, — continued in its original 
form as long as the monument, erected in 1790, remained upon 
it, and in fact until Temple street was extended over it in the , 



30 THE BEACON AND ITS USE. 

summer of 1831. But its spurs on the northerly and westerly 
sides, had been dug away to a very great depth, leaving steep 
and lofty banks, at the head of Temple street, and on Mt. Ver- 
non and Hancock streets, as well as around West Hill. 

In 1733, on the 16th of October, a committee of the board 
of Selectmen, consisting of David Colson, Joshua Winslow and 
William Dowe, was appointed "to see that Captain Cyprian 
Shattuck secure his hill near Valley Acre by rails, or other- 
wise the people may be in danger." Drake says " Valley Acre, 
as appears from an early map of the town, was adjacent to a 
spur of Beacon Hill, which extended northeasterly from the 
main hill, terminating abruptly not far from the present north- 
ern termination of the iron fence in Pemberton Square." This 
digging was a hundred years after the settlement, and the gravel 
was no doubt used to fill up around the docks. 

Valley Acre was south of Howard street and near Hanover. 
The slope down what is now Tremont Row terminated in later 
years opposite the head of Hanover street, at the end of a brick 
wall which separated it from Court street. The space between the 
Btreets was wedge-shaped, with Scollay's building at the widest 
end, the brick wall running to a point. The first story of Scol- 
lay's building was entered from Court street, and the second 
from Tremont Row. The hill sloped as it docs now down Sud- 
bury, Hanover and Brattle streets, extending in one direction to 
Dock Square. Towards the point of the wedge, there were sev- 
eral shallow stores on Court street, built against the brick wall, 
one of which was occupied by " Bob New," a well-known bar- 
ber of that day. On the sidewalk of Tremont Row, which was 
nearly the height of the wall above Court street, crowds of people 



THE BEACON AND ITS USE. 37 

used to stand to watch the dancing in Concert Hall, when that 
was the fashionable hall of the town. 

As early as 1764, " the people of the town appear to have 
looked upon it [Beacon Hill] as among the natural objects to 
be preserved and transmitted unimpaired to other ages. But 
there was a certain owner of a small tract of land on the north 
side of the hill, who having a right, as he believed, to dig up 
his ground to any extent he pleased, in prosecution of that right 
had jeopardized the very existence of this famous eminence. 
The individual in question was named Thomas Hodson. He 
was reasoned with by the Selectmen, but they could not succeed 
in dissuading him from persisting in digging gravel on his lot, 
to the general damage of the town and the particular damage of 
Beacon Hill. (May 15.) The subject was therefore brought 
up in Town meeting and a committee was raised to take Thomas 
Hodson and his digging gravel into consideration. Accordingly 
Thomas Hancock, William Phillips, Joseph Sherburne, Joshua 
Henshaw and James Otis, Esquires, were appointed (May 24), 
to serve as such committee. They accepted the appointment 
and a few days after reported that the said Thomas Hodson 
would dig gravel on his lot, and had dug to that extent that the 
said hill was in danger of being destroyed, and that there was 
no prospect of the town being able to buy him off. That is to 
say, he would not sell his land to the town. That they saw no 
Avay to prevent the destruction of Beacon Hill without the in- 
terposition of the General Court. It was therefore voted that 
the representatives should be instructed to move in the legisla- 
ture for an act by which this and similar mischiefs might be 
prevented. No law, however, appears to have been passed con- 
cerning it." 



38 THE BEACON AND ITS USE. 

Hodson continued to dig gravel and fill up the docks, and 
probably never would have been heard of at the present time 
but for his persistency in this matter, by which he got his name 
into history, and may now be regarded as a pioneer in public 
improvements and possibly as a benefactor of the city. 

There had been other digging about the hill and its outlying 
spurs, long before this time ; and no doubt more or less of it at 
an earlier period than any recorded. The gravel was first used 
for those wharves and docks, which were contiguous to the shops 
and houses, as the first settlement of the town was in a circle 
around the cove. So true was this circle that in the "Mod- 
ern Universal Gazetteer," published in London, in 1796, Bos- 
ton was described as " situated on a peninsula at the bottom of 
a fine bay, &c, and lies in the form of a crescent about the 
harbor, and the country beyond rising gradually, affords de- 
lightful prospects from the sea." The settlement was strictly 
between Fort Hill and Copp's Hill, and as it was built out in 
front, it was as gradually built up in the rear. Gravel was, 
in fact, the first necessity of the settlement, as it has been 
the last of the city : Beacon Hill met the first as Fort Hill, 
Needham and Canton have the last. 



DEFENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT. 



CHAPTER V. 

Defences around the settlement — Practical Ideas of the times — Dogmatic 
Religion — Persecutions — Charles II. commanding Liberty of Conscience 
— Great Fire in 1679 — Cost of Defences — Indian Visitors entertained by 
the Governor — The Beacon and Fortifications across the Neck — Civil 
War in England — Capture of a ship in Boston harbor — The Light 
House, the Castle and the System of Signals— General peacefulness of 
the settlement — Defences turned against those who built them. 

It is very evident that in a few years after the people remov- 
ed from Charlestown to Boston, they became concerned about 
their safety from the Indians, although they had been welcomed 
by John Sagamore and lived peaceably with his tribe, as did 
those who remained among them. The means of alarm and de- 
fence which they prepared in order to meet any emergency that 
might arise, were quite remarkable for the times, both in extent 
and character ; and they were mainly designed for protection 
against the savages, however little, as we have seen, they seem 
to have been needed. They were of such prominence that for- 
eigners who visited the early settlement or the prosperous town, 
and residents who had occasion to write about it. never failed to 
mention them : the Fort, afterwards the Batteries, the monitory 
Beacon, and later the Castle. These were always spoken of 
and commended, and became widely known. They were un- 
doubtedly considered as not only affording protection to the col- 



40 DEFENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT. 

onists, but also as offering an inducement to others to settle 
among them and share the immunity which they afforded. 

Besides this the colony was prosperous : the two practical 
ideas of the people were business and protection, and they had 
both ; the sentiment was dogmatic religion, and this they had 
superlatively, with rigid abhorrence of episcopalians, anabaptists 
and quakers. The episcopalians were denounced, the anabap- 
tists fined, persecuted, banished, and the quakers still more se- 
verely used and some of them hung. After Charles II. was 
proclaimed, he upheld the episcopalians as far as he was able 
and at a later period (1679) wrote to the authorities of Boston 
commanding them not to molest people of the Protestant faith 
in their worship and directing liberty of conscience. This is 
certainly a very notable incident in history : fifty years after the 
settlement at Salem, the King of England found it necessary 
in the cause of religion to command liberty to worship God 
in their own way to all protestants in the colony. The year 
before this the legislature had passed a law against the erection 
of meeting houses, intended as a warning to the anabaptists and 
quakers. But it turned out that the law was a little behind the 
times. A great fire in the same year, as Cotton Mather after- 
wards said of it, had given Boston to read the vanity of all 
earthly possessions in fiery characters. The quakers managed 
to hold secret meetings ; and a gentleman who built a private 
house, soon sold it to the Baptists. This was their "First 
Church" and today its representative stands on Beacon Hill, the 
most elevated location and the highest spire in the city. 

The defences of which we have spoken required some extra- 
ordinary expenses of the colony, and these were sometimes trou- 
blesome, though generally met by the legislature or the towns. 



DEFENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT. 41 

Thsy were occasionally repaired and enlarged, it is presumed, 
and implements renewed or supplied whenever it was thought 
there might be occasion for their use. In 1G57. Drake says 
"it behoved the people of Boston to look to the defences of 
the town," in which we presume he copies some old record 
which indicates no reason for the remark — unless they were to 
bo used in the religious controversies, when whipping and hang- 
in"- were in vogue. There was not much other use for them. 

The Fort at the Castle was commenced in 1634. and it was 
subsequently ordered that "ordnance [be] mounted k eury 
other tliinge aboute it ffinished before any other flbrtificacon be 
proceeded in." The fort fell into decay and was neglected by 
some of the towns, "although their safety (under God) was 
much involved in the constant repair and management thereof." 
The " next six towns" rebuilt it. It cost " about four thous- 
and pounds," and a " captain was ordained," with soldiers, and 
"yet are not this poor pilgrim people weary of maintaining it 
in good repair ; it is of very good use to awe away insolent per- 
sons, putting confidence in their ships and sails, * * * and 
they have certain signals of alarums which suddenly spread 
through the whole country." Roger Clap, who had command 
at the fort from 1GG5 to 1G86, says " all the time of our weak- 
ness, God was pleased to give us peace," and in years after, to 
1672, when the Dutch were expected to attack the town, "God 
was pleased to keep this place in safety." 

The earliest defences across the Neck were a line of palisades; 
after these a brick fortification with embrasures, cannon and a 
ditch; regular watches -were kept, and the town was felt to be 
perfectly secure. These, however, fell into disuse and decay, 
and in 1710, no longer needed against the Indians, new fortifi- 



42 DEFENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT. 

cations were erected, just south of the present Dover street, but 
like those which preceded them, were unused and finally fell 
into the hands of Gen. Gage and his military successor. 

As for the Indians during all these years, they were frequent 
visitors at Boston, and sometimes dined with the Governor, and 
received presents from him ; and this continued during all the 
years of the settlement. So that their coming would not be 
likely to be announced by firing the Beacon. 

In May. 1644, during the civil war in England, a parlia- 
ment ship of war, Capt. Stagg, came into port, without any sig- 
nalling from the Beacon, and finding a Bristol ship here, com- 
pelled her to surrender, much to the amazement of the people, 
who failed to see the right of anybody to do such an act of war 
in their harbor.* The legislature demanded of Capt. Stagg his 
authority and he shew a commission from the Earl of Warwick, 
but as " parliament was of their own religion," they thought it 
best not to interfere. They did, however, pass a law authoriz- 
ing [Major Gibbons of Boston, and Major Sedgwick of Charles- 
town, " not to permit any ships to fight in the harbor without 
license from authority/' Thus ignoring a parliament-commis- 
sion for the future. 

The first Light-house, it would seem, — which, it is to be pre- 
sumed, was erected in the interests of commerce, — was connected 
with the system of defence which was so prominent around the 
town. In July 1715, at the session of the General Court a law 
was passed i: that there be a Light-house erected at the charge 
of the Province at the northernmost point of the Great Brews- 



*Tbe city of Bristol, about a year before this time having surrendered to 
the Royalists, the ships belonging to that city were adjudged prizes to the 
ships of the Parliament, wherever they might be met with. 



DEFENCES OP THE SETTLEMENT. 43 

ter, called Baacon Island, to be lighted from sunset until sun- 
rising." 

In 1719, Daniel Neal wrote an account and description of 
Boston, which was printed in England. After describing the 
fortifications at Castle Island, he proceeds as follows : 

" But to prevent any possible surprise from an Enemy, there 
is a Light-house, built on a Rock, appearing above Water, about 
two long Leagues from the Town, which in Time of War, makes 
a signal to the Castle, and the Castle to the Town, by hoisting 
and lowering the Union Flag, so many Times as there are Ships 
approaching, which if they exceed a certain Number, the Castle 
fires three Guns to alarm the Town of Boston, and the Gover- 
nor, if need be, orders a Beacon to be fired, which alarms all 
the adjacent Countrey." 

Lieut. Gov. Dummer, in his " Defence of the New England 
Charters, 1 ' gives a description of the ''beautiful Castle" at the 
entrance of the harbor, which he says, "is by far the finest 
specimen of military architecture in the British America. It 
was built by Colonel Romer, a famous German engineer, at the 
Countries' expense, and is called Castle William." " There is 
an independent company of 60 or 100 men, I am not certain 
which, that constantly are on duty ; but in time of war, 500 
able bodied men are exempted from all other military duty, to 
attend the Service of the Castle at an hour's warning upon any 
signal given to the Castle of the Appearance of any ships and 
their number. The Castle again warns the town, and if there 
be five ships or more in time of war, an alarm is given to all 
the adjacent countries by firing a beacon." 

It is pretty safe to say, we think, that, however efficient the 
arrangements, nothing of this sort was ever done. 



44 DEFENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT. 

Whatever may now be thought of these things, it is histori- 
cally true that the settlement and the town, up to the period of 
the commencement of the revolutionary war, were remarkably 
preserved from any warlike demonstrations, save those already 
mentioned, within their borders. The Indians were invariably on 
friendly terms, rather seeking friendship and favor than desiring 
war, and we know of no such thing as an Indian skirmish or 
fight of any kind, between them and the settlers in more than 
a hundred years, nor of any occasion for the use of the means 
of alarm and defence on their account. It is probable that 
this exemption from attack and the perils of war, was m a 
great measure due to this preparation and constant watchfulness, 
and in this sense they were very beneficial to the prosperity of 
the colony, showing again that preparations, if they do not al- 
ways prevent, tend to the discouragement of warfare. It is, 
therefore, a resulting fact that the works we have mentioned : 
the Beacon, the Fort, the North and South Batteries, the 
Fortifications across the Neck, and the Castle, when brought 
into actual use in warfare, were all turned against the people 
who built and had maintained them for centuries. 

Oar conclusions upon the whole matter are that the settlement 
at Boston was wonderfully exempted from disturbances and 
annoyances of every kind ; that such as seemed .likely to happen 
were prevented, avoided or miscarried in some way ; that all the 
measures of defence and system of alarms, though not such as 
would now be considered of much account, were almost wholly 
uncalled for, excepting as preventive measures, and from the 
Beacon to the Light house, were rarely, if ever, used either for 
alarm or defence. One man was killed by a shot from the Cas- 
tle, and his death, because not intended, was decided to be an 



DEFENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT. 45 

act of Providence, and another (the commander), was killed in 
the Castle by a stroke of lightning, which seemed still more 
providential. A ship was captured in the harbor without the 
firing of a gun, and the Indians at Muddy Brook were fright- 
ened by a show of soldiers that ran away on a false alarm. The 
Fort on "Cornehill," served to hold Gov. Andros in durance for 
a while, but there is no account that either its " lowd babbling 
jruns," or those of the North and South batteries were ever used 
with hostile intent in colonial times. At a later period, sunrise 
and sunset guns were fired from Beacon Hill ; there was some 
cannonading from Gen. Gage's offensive fortifications on Boston 
Neck, and some heavy firing upon Charlestown on the 17th of 
June, from Copp's Hill. These presaged the opening of the 
revolutionary war. So that, in point of fact, the guns for the 
defence of Boston were among the first turned against her. 




HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Vacation of the Charter — President Dudley — Sir Edmund Andros — Revolu- 
tion of 1689 — Account by an Eye-witness — Expedition against Louis- 
bourg — Its capture, June 17, 1745 — Excitement in 1768 — British Sol- 
diers expected from Halifax — Use of the Beacon proposed — Tar barrel 
at its top — Sons of Liberty defeated — The Boston Massacre. 

The first Charter of the Colony was vacated in June 1684, 
but certain intelligence of the act was not received until July of 
the next year; and nearly a year later, May, 1G86, Joseph 
Dudley arrived out as President of New England. In Decem- 
ber, of the same year, Sir Edmund Andros arrived and assumed 
the government, which he administered tyrannically for three 
years. In 1689, occasion arose for the use of Beacon Hill in the 
direction of the purposes to which it had been devoted and for 
which its beacon pole had been erected ; and this was not found 
to be against the Indians, but against the local government, 
whose oppressions and burdens had become unbearable, after 
the capricious vacation of the charter. Among the most aggra- 
vating and preposterous claims of Andros was one that the land 
of the peninsula had all reverted to the King, in consequence of 
the revocation of the charter. This sensibly touched every set- 
tler in the colony. The householders of Boston had purchased 



HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 47 

their land of Blackstone in the first instance, and subsequently, 
in 1684-5, bought off an Indian claim to the peninsula ; but 
the pretentious governor sneered at all this, and declared that 
the signature of an Indian to a deed was of no more conse- 
quence than the scratch of a bear's claw ! 

In the account of the Andros rebellion, by Byfield. he says 
" about 8 o'clock in the morning, April 18, it was reported at 
the South end of the town that at the North end they were all 
in arms ; and the like report was at the North end respecting 
the South end. About nine of the clock the drums beat through 
the town, and an ensign was set upon the Beacon." 

In the account given by an "Eye-witness" and published by 
Hutchinson, it is said, " soon after [the Governor reached the 
Town House], the Jack was hoisted up at the Fort, and a pair 
of colors at Beacon Hill, which gave notice to some thousand 
soldiers on the Charlestown side, that the controversy was now 
to be ended, and multitudes would have been there, but that 
there was no need." In the afternoon according to this account, 
the people from the country " came armed into the town, in 
such rage and heat that it made us all tremble to think what 
would follow, for nothing would satisfy them but that the Gov- 
ernor must be bound in chains or cords and put in a more se- 
cure place ; [ and that they would see done before they went 
away, and, to satisfy them, he was guarded by them to the 
Fort." The Charlestown people may have been detained by 
the ferry, but 'probably were among those who came into town 
in the afternoon. The Lynn people came in the next day, 19th. 
A paper was drawn up and signed by the Governor surrender- 
ing the government and the castle to the people. In two days 
the revolution, as it was called, was achieved without bloodshed. 



48 HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 

Fort Hill was conspicuous in the proceedings of this memorable 
occasion, but no further use "was made of Beacon Hill. The 
Governor, Mr. Dudley, Mr. Randolph, (who was the author of 
all this trouble.) and others, were held as prisoners through the 
summer and fall, and then sent to England for trial : but, of 
course, they escaped punishment. The people, however, had 
had an experience which was valuable to them, and to Andros 
belongs the credit of first suggesting to the colonists the idea of 
resisting an oppressive and unjust government, if he did not in 
fact, sow the seed of the greater revolution which followed. 

The first house built apon Beacon Hill, near to its summit, 
was the mansion house of Thomas Hancock, a wealthy merchant 
of Boston, and the uncle of the distinguished patriot of the 
revolution, who ultimately became the owner and occupant of 
the estate. It was built in 1737, of stone. The estate was 
originally bounded ' ' on Beacon street from Mount Vernon to 
Belknap [Joy] street, including the grounds of the State House, 
Hancock Avenue and Mount Vernon Place ; and westerly em- 
bracing Mount Vernon street, which was given to the town ; a 
part of Hancock street, where were his gardener's extensive 
nursery, and other lands including a part of Beacon Hill, now 
occupied by the Cochituate Reservoir, never before improved by 
any building, until it was sold to the city in 1847." (We think 
this is a mistake, as a part of the lot now occupied by the res- 
ervoir, was the site of the Derne street school house. We shall 
probably be able to give a more complete and accurate descrip- 
tion of the boundaries of this estate when we come to speak of 
its division and disposition and the sale by the town of the six 
rods square, originally reserved for the Beacon.) On the west 



HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 49 

side of the mansion house were the stable and carriage house, 
and on the east the cow pasture, which was afterwards pur- 
chased of the heirs of Governor Hancock for the erection of 
the new State House. The grounds towards the summit of 
the hill were improved as gardens and orchards. 

In 1745, mention is made of a wealthy merchant, Col. James 
Gibson, who contributed £500 towards the expedition planned 
by Governor Shirley against Louisbourg, and went himself as a 
volunteer. His residence was at "Beacon Hill, and one of the 
finest in town." General Pcpperell commanded the expedition, 
and the provincial navy of ten vessels with 20 guns, was joined 
by Admiral "Warren with the British fleet. 

This expedition when proposed to the general court was ap- 
proved by a majority of one vote ; and it was carried through 
without either the aid or countenance of the home government. 
The people of Boston — whose business had been seriously in- 
terrupted by the war with France — were very ready to forward 
the undertaking, and there were more volunteers than were 
needed, at 25s. per month. The expedition — strictly a Boston 
enterprise — was successful, and Louisbourg surrendered on the 
17th of June, 1745. The news was received in Boston on the 
3d of July, and there was what was called "a handsome bon- 
fire," perhaps on Beacon Hill. " Few events have caused such 
rejoicings in Boston as did the reception of the news of the cap- 
ture of Louisbourg." Four years afterwards England paid the 
cost of the expedition in the sum of £183,049 2s. 1$d. This 
was sent over in one or more ships to Boston, and deposited in 
the town treasury. There were seventeen cart and truck loads 
of silver and ten loads of copper. In a similar transaction today 



•50 HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 

probably not a dollar of the money would be removed from the 
vaults cf the Bank of England. Subsequently over sixteen 
thousand pounds were paid over to New Hampshire, nearly 
twenty-nine thousand to Connecticut, and over six thousand to 
Rhode Island, while Massachusetts retained for her share over 
one hundred and thirty-two thousand pounds. 

In 1768, when it was expected that British troops were com- 
ing to Boston, a meeting was held to consider the subject and 
adopt measures for " the peace and safety of His Majesty's sub- 
jects in this Province." At this time, September 10, an officer 
arrived from Halifax, "whose mission was rightly judged to be' 
to make arrangements for quartering the troops in the town. — 
Immediately after his arrival a tar barrel was discovered in the 
skillet of the Beacon, on Beacon Hill. This, it was under- 
stood, was to be fired when the King's ships containing the 
troops from Halifax, should make their appearance in the bay. 
Construing the elevation of a tar barrel, under such circum- 
stances, to be a gross insult, in his military capacity, the Gov- 
ernor (Bernard) summoned the Council, which was held at a 
gentleman's house halfway between the Governor's, at Jamaica 
Plain, and Boston." We do not precisely see how the "eleva- 
tion of a tar barrel" was an insult to the Governor, "in his mil- 
itary capacity," and if so, why he should assemble the civil 
council to relieve his feelings. 

o 

At this meeting the tar barrel was debated and it was "re- 
solved that the Selectmen should be desired to take it down ; but 
they would not do it." However, Sheriff Greenleaf had private 
orders from the Governor and Council to remove it, usin<? his 
discretion as to the proper time to do it. He, therefore, taking 



HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 51 

about half a dozen men with him, proceeded stealthily to the 
hill, just at dinner time, and effe3ted the important object in 
about ten minutes. Thus was a victory over the Sons of Lib- 
erty* gained while they were not expecting the enemy."' Gov- 
ernor Bernard says " it was an empty turpentine barrel, and 
was put upon the pole of the Beacon, (which had lately been 
erected anew in a great hurry by the Selectmen, Avithout con- 
sulting him,) which gave great alarm," &c. Matters now, he 
said, "exceeded all former exceedings." The town records of 
September 12th, state that : ' a vote of the honorable board [the 
Executive Council] respecting the tar barrel, which was the 
other night placed on the skillet on Beacon Hill, by persons un- 
known, was committed to the town, but not acted upon." 

The tar barrel dispute died away, the British troops arrived 
as expected and gave rise to new disputes and disagreements be- 
tween the Governor and the people ; but it does not appear that 
any farther use was made of Beacon Hill or the Beacon at this 
time. Some years later, before the fort was constructed upon 
its summit, barracks for the soldiers were built against the 
hill or partly into its sides. 

In the general excitement on the 5th of March, 17T0, which 
commenced at about nine o'clock in the evening, the fire bells 
were rung to call out the people, and they were directed to 



* "The Sons of Liberty" were indebted for this popular name to Colonel 
B.irre, who first used it in the debate on the Stamp Act, in the British Parlia- 
ment, in 1765. He charged government with sending to America men who 
were "deputies of deputies to some members of this House — men whose be- 
havior on many occasions had cause I the blood of the Sons of Liberty to recoil 
within them ;" and, as he said, men who were glad to go to America in order 
to escape being brought to the bar of the court at home. 



52 HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 

King street. Captain Preston, who commanded the main guard 
at the time, and who used the most strenuous efforts to prevent 
bloodshed, had his fears further excited by being "told that it 
was a plan of the people to massacre the soldiers and that a 
tar barrel was to be fired on Beacon Hill, to bring in the people 
from the country ;" but there is no account showing that any- 
thing of the kind was done or contemplated. 

These brief sketches of the early history of the town, hav- 
ing more or less relation to Beacon Hill, illustrate the spirit of 
the times and the excitements under which the people lived, as 
compared with those of the present day. The people of Massa- 
chusetts, with their education and intelligence, would not now 
endure such a governor as Sir Edmund Andros for twenty-four 
hours ; and such an expedition as that of 1745, however well- 
planned and efficient for that time, would now complete its 
work with terrible certainty, in two or three weeks instead of 
double that number of months, while the account of its cost 
might be arranged in half an hour by telegraph, without a two 
months' voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and the shipment of 
more than three hundred chests and casks of coined money. 




THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 



CHAPTER VII. 

Beacon Hill during the Revolution — British Troops in Boston, ostensibly to 
preserve order — Occupying the Defences of the Colony against the peo- 
ple — The Beacon, the early device for defence, under their control — The 
Sons of Liberty use the Church Tower to warn the country of danger — 
The Port Act and the Continental Congress — Commencement of the War 
— The conflict of the 19th of April (partially) and the battle of Bunker 
Hill seen from Beacon Hill — Fort built upon its summit. 

During the twenty years that elapsed, between 1770, when 
King street was stained with the blood of the people, and 1790, 
when the Avar was ended and the independence of the country 
secured, Beacon Hill, still in its pristine integrity of height, 
looked down with complacency upon the progress of events 
which were soon to be commemorated on its summit. It had 
been consecrated to the best interests of the colony and was re- 
garded as the landmark of the settlement. It was now to wit- 
ness more stirring scenes of greatest moment and fraught with 
the future destinies of a great nation. 

There were British troops in Boston at different times prior 
to 1768, but those of this year were ordered by Gen. Gage, 
then residing at New York and commanding, the British forces 
in North America, on account of suggestions made by Governor 



54 THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 

Bernard, for the alleged purpose of "preserving the peace and 
good order of the town," which had been somewhat disturb- 
ed on account of that legislative abortion, the Stamp Act.* 
From this time until the final Evacuation of Boston, in 1776, 
(excepting while the Sam Adams Regiments were at the castle) 
British troops were quartered in the town. — in Faneuil Hall 
and the Churches — ostensibly to preserve order, but really to 
enforce compliance with the acts of parliament, which the people 
had shown a disposition to resist. Of course they occupied the 
fort and assumed control of the colonial defences, and built 
new fortifications for offensive, and as Gen. Gage himself inti- 
mated, defensive purposes. 

This state of things, neither contemplated or foreseen, changed 
the relations heretofore subsisting between Beacon Hill, and 
the whole system of defences, and the people of Boston. — 
These were in point of fact, no longer in possession of the town, 
and no longer under its control. They were exclusively in 
charge, not to say of the enemies of the country, but of govern- 
ment officers, to be directed and used against the people, to over- 
awe and compel them to submit to the taxes and burdens impos- 
ed upon them by the King and his ministers. The Beacon, the 
early and significant device of the colonists as a means of com- 



pile Stamp Act was passed in 1765, and repealed in 17GG. On the arri- 
val of a large quantity of stamped paper in Boston, which the Governor knew 
the people would not use, he desired the order of the Council as to the disposi- 
tion of it, but the Council declined to interfere, as also did the Legislature. — 
Finally the Governor had it landed at the Castle, and ordered a guard to he 
placed over it, the expense of which was afterwards a cause of dispute between 
him and the Legislature, on the ground that he had no right to use the money 
of the Province for any such purpose without their order. The paper was re- 
turned to England, with small cost to the Colony. 



THE AMERICAN" REVOLUTION. 65 

moo defence, was no longer to be used, unless clandestinely, in 
any cause or for any purpose in which the people were specially 
interested ; but rather in aid of an overbearing government. 
above all responsibility to the people, and entertaining designs 
for their more complete subjugation and enslavement. When, 
at last, the time came for its usefulness, to warn ;1 the coun- 
try of any danger." and it could no longer be reached in safe- 
ty, the Sons of Liberty, not again to be defeated, promptly ap- 
propriated to their purposes what was only more sacred to them 
and their cause — the tower of the church. 

The possible result of this state of affairs was no doubt seen 
by the patriotic and indomitable spirits of the time ; and the 
events which followed culminated in two great historic conclu- 
sions: the passage of the Boston Port Act of June. 1774, and 
the assembling of the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, 
only three months later. The first of these was the grossest 
act of tyranny and oppression which could be conceived of — 
avowedly for the ''punishment of Boston," — and produced 
as its legitimate result, the Union of the Colonies.* for com- 
mon protection and combined resistance to enslavement. So 
rapid and so significant were the events, that in less than one 
year from the Port Act, through a series of links in the historic 
chain, the royal troops on one band, and an aroused and indig- 
nant people on the other, were in open and bloody conflict on 
fields rendered memorable in the history of the country. 

It is not our purpose to fill out this history, so full of thrill- 
ing incident and absorbing; interest. The measures to which we 



*The First Continental Congress only included twelve colonies (omitting 
Georgia) and assembled at Philadelphia, September .">, 1774. 



56 TUB AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 

have referred, on the part of the home government, — so un- 
just, tyrannical and vindictive towards the colonists, — ren- 
dered rebellion, and of course civil war, unavoidable. There 
was for them only the alternative of submission or rebellion — 
there was no middle ground to take. The " excursion to Con- 
cord" had made "reconciliation impossible." The troops of the 
King, having for years made the commercial town of Boston a 
military barrack, with all its concomitant evils, entered at last 
upon a murderous warfare against a people who still desired to 
remain among the most loyal of his subjects. The conflict of 
the years which followed was of course inevitable and resulted in 
the establishment of the independence of the country. 

Beacon Hill and the people who flocked to its consecrated 
summit and stood upon that earliest reservation of the colonists, 
the historic six rods -scpuare, witnessed the termination of the 
reckless and murderous raid upon Lexington and Concord, and 
were permitted to behold that grand and terrible scene which so 
soon followed it, upon the heights of Charlestown. These early 
and sanguinary conflicts, — to sustain oppression and tyranny 
on one hand, and in defence of the rights of the people on the 
other, — which have ever distinguished Massachusetts history, — 
were witnessed, by the friends of. both parties, each with per- 
sonal interest and thrilling anxiety in the results, from the 
summit of Beacon Hill — the first at the conclusion of the day's 
pursuit from Concord to Charlestown Neck, and the other in all 
its terrible grandeur from beginning to end. These sanguinary 
events, which spread quickly over the United Colonies, opened 
the revolutionary war : and while they were the only engage- 
ments which occurred within the limits of the State, were both 



THE NINETEENTH OP APRIL. 57 

seen from Beacon Hill, and were, — one partly and the other 
entirely — within the limits of the town of Charlestown. 

The fact is not generally understood that the hardest fighting 
encountered by Lord Percy, in the earliest of these conflicts was 
at Menotomy and in Charlestown, before reaching the Common. 
Here the number of troops on one side, and of minute-men 
on the other, was more than double that from Concord. Lord 
Percy added a thousand men to Colonel Smith's detachment, at 
Lexington, and a much larger number joined the pursuers after 
leaving that town. Gen. Heath was then in command of the 
colonists, and Dr. Warren was actively engaged in directing the 
pursuit. The flying troops took the road which crosses the little 
river running from Fresh Pond, (then the boundary line of 
Charlestown and Menotomy,) and skirted around the base of 
Prospect Hill, where the conflict was severest and so open to 
observation from the heights in Boston, that Gen. Gage might 
himself have seen the most of it, and very possibly did see it, 
from the summit of the hill near his garrison. The troops from 
Danvers came in at Menotomy : they were comparatively fresh 
and well supplied, while the British troops were both exhausted 
and short of ammunition. A letter from Boston to the south 
explains why they were not all captured. It says that they re- 
treated to Bunker Hill, ' : where they entrenched, and night 
parted them. Our numbers increased and would have surround- 
ed the hill had it not been for the situation near the water, 
where on one side, they were exposed to the fire from a man-of- 
war." Another letter, dated the day after the fighting, says — 
' : The engagement lasted until night put an end to it. I saw a 
great part of it from Beacon HUV Gen. Washington, who 
had his information from those who were present in the fight, 



58 REMOVAL OF THE BEACON. 

wrote some time afterwards, " If the retreat had not been as 
precipitate as it was — and God knows it could not well have 
been more so — the ministerial troops must have surrendered, or 
been totally cut off." He thought if the men from Marblehead 
and Salem, who were almost at their heels, had been up half an 
hour earlier, they would inevitably have intercepted their re- 
treat before they could have got under cover of their ships. 

It was a narrow escape for such an exhausted army, at the 
end of a forty miles journey, pursued and harrassed as they had 
"been by the despised yeomanry of the country. As it was, it 
is probable that more troops were disabled within the limits of 
Charlestown than on the entire route from Concord, with propor- 
tionately less loss to the Americans. 

It must be allowed, we think, that while Charlestown had 
more than its share of the war, Beacon Hill witnessed, in a most 
emphatic sense, these opening events of the revolution. 

The Beacon, according to Governor Bernard, was rebuilt, as 
he says, without his consent, in 1768* ; and this remained until 
removed by General Gage, in 1775. After the discomfiture of 
the 19th of April, and on account of the gathering of Provin- 
cial troops at Cambridge, he found it necessary to increase and, 
extend his defences ; and among other things a small fort was 
built on Beacon Hill, and the Beacon removed. 



* It had probably not been down for a very long time, as it appears in 
Governor Pownall's View of Boston, taken from Castle William, eight or ten 
years before, between 1757 and 17G0, during his administration. 



BEACON HILL AND THE BEACON 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Beacon Hill despoiled of its beacon — Defences of Boston after the Evacua 
tion — Beacon Hill and the company gathered upon it on 17th of June — 
General Gage's proclamation of pardon — Its exception of Hancock and 
Adams — Counter Proclamation of the Provincial Congress — Doggerel 
account of the battle of Bunker Hill — Threats against Hancock and 
Adams — The triumph of their cause — Their position as Governor and 
Lieut. Governor of the State — The last of the Beacon. 

In the incipiency of the revolutionary war, from the time 
General Gage gave a military character to the government of 
the colony, to the evacuation of Boston, in March, 1776, 
Beacon Hill was despoiled of its historic pole, which possibly 
it may have missed in earlier times. Now, however, its relations 
to the people who had so early consecrated it to their protection, 
were all changed. It was the observatory of their enemies, and 
its summit was occupied by "a small square fort." There 
were two frowning redoubts on its western elevation, looking to- 
wards Cambridge. These and some other defences, were visited 
soon after the British troops left them, by Dr. John Warren, 
who was a brother of the deceased patriot and surgeon of the 
company from Salem on the 19th of April. He says the 
two redoubts in the neighborhood of Mount Vernon, "ap- 



GO BEACON HILL AND THE BEACON. 

peared to be considerably strong. Just by the shore, opposite 
Lechmere's Point, is a bomb battery, lined "with plank. Upon 
Beacon Hill were scarcely more than the fortifications by nature 
— a very insignificant shallow ditch, with a few short pickets, a 
platform, and one twenty-four pounder, which could not be 
brought to bear upon any part of the hill. [ ? ] This was left 
spiked and the bore crammed. On Copp ; s Hill, at the north, 
was nothing more than a few barrels, filled with dirt, to form 
parapets. Three twenty-four pounders, upon a platform, were 
left spiked and crammed ; all these, as well as the others, on 
carriages. The parapets in this fort and Beacon Hill did not 
at all cover the men who should work the cannon." 

We do not readily discern what "hill" is referred to by Dr. 
Warren, in the above extract from his Diary. If he refers to 
Bunker Hill, it may be said that at the time of the battle there 
was neither fort or cannon on Beacon Hill ; and, after the bat- 
tle, both hills were in possession of General Gage. The fortifi- 
cations mentioned on Mount Vernon, and on the shore, were 
hardly a match for General Putnam's superior works at Cobble 
Hill, and were probably intended to prevent the approach of 
any part of Washington's army upon the town on the ice. which 
he knew was a practicable movement, and one which had been 
attempted upon the outposts at Charlestown. 

While the British troops occupied the town in force, Beacon 
Hill was of little interest to the people of Boston, excepting 
for the purpose of occasionally observing the movements of the 
enemy, when possible, or of witnessing the conflicts that might 
occur between the parties. In viewing these the patriots and 
the tories of the town and the unengaged soldiers of the royal 
army, all congregated on the summit. An assemblage of this 



BEACON HILL AND THE BEACON. 61 

nature covered the hill on the 17th of June, and there was no 
doubt much intense and antagonistic feeling among them as the 
events of the day, — the early cannonading, the engagement, the 
conflagration, and the final retreat. — were seen to follow each 
other on the opposite shore of the river. We have no accounts 
as to the order preserved in such an assemblage, with such hopes 
and fears as filled them ; but possibly it did not differ materially 
from other gatherings in the town, when patriots, tories and sol- 
diers were present, as during the tea excitement two years pre- 
viously. There were then, however, numbers of people from 
the country in the town, while just prior to the battle of Bun- 
ker Hill many hundred families and thousands of the poor, had 
left the town for safety and support in the suburbs. 

Only five days previous to the battle of Bunker Hill, General 
Gage issued his famous proclamation of pardon to ' : all who 
shall lay down their arms." He had supposed and so repre- 
sented to Lord Dartmouth, that such a measure would be judi- 
cious and effectual ; but it proved the reverse in both respects, 
for it was unwise and ineffectual. The exception which was 
made in regard to Sam Adams and John Hancock, if nothing 
else, would have proved fatal to any good effect of the proffered 
leniency of the government. The thing was rejected by the 
patriots and contemned by the people, who not only expressed 
their contempt for the author but their indignation at his pre- 
sumption. The Provincial Congress travestied the whole thing, 
in a counter-proclamation, dated June 1G, offering pardon to 
those who had fled into Boston for refuge and other offenders, 
"excepting only from the benefit of such pardon, Thomas Gage, 
Samuel Graves, [Admiral of the fleet] ; those Counsellors who 
were appointed by mandamus and have not signified their re- 



62 



BEACON niLL AND THE BEACON. 



signation, viz : Jonathan Sewall, Charles Paxton, Benj. Hal- 
lowell ; and all the natives of America who went out with the 
regular troops on the 19th of April, * * * whose offences 
are of too flagitious a nature to merit any other consideration 
but that of condign punishment." 

The tories exulted in Gage's proclamation : they affected to 
believe, as did General Gage, that the mass of the people were 
misled, " infatuated," as he said, and would accept the offer of 
pardon and return to their allegiance. They were sanguine in 
their belief that Adams and Hancock would be arrested, or pos- 
sibly seized by military force, and shot, hung or sent to Eng- 
land for trial. Just at this moment the battle of Bunker Hill 
was precipitated upon the colony and the army. Its results and 
consequences are well known ; and these, fatal as they were to 
all hope of maintaining British authority in the colony, were 
accepted by the tories, if not by General Gage or the home gov- 
ernment, as a victory in their behalf. The well known dog- 
gerel, contemporary with the battle and written by a tory, either 
English or American, beginning 

"It was the Seventeenth — by break of day, 
" The Yankees did surprise us," 

recognizes the supposed potency of Gage's proclamation in the 
lines which conclude the production, as follows : 

" And now my song is at an end, 

" And to conclude my ditty, 
"It is the poor and ignorant, 

" And only them I pity. 
" As for their King, John Hancock, 

" And Adams, if they're taken, 
" Their heads for signs shall hang up high 
"Upon that hill call'd Beacon !" 



BEACON HILL AND THE BEACON. 63 

The ignominious threat in these anonymous lines was not 
more impotent than was the equally ignominious proclamation 
of General Gage, which was authorized by the king and his 
ministers. In less than four months from this time, and on the 
day before General Gage sailed for England, at the command of 
the king, his successor, General Howe, recommended the evacu- 
ation of Boston. The renowned patriots, the objects of such 
vengeance, which neither king or tory was permitted to inflict, 
lived to see the triumph of their cause and the full fruition of 
their hopes. More than this, while Governor and Lieutenant 
Governor of the Commonwealth which they had created, they 
witnessed the erection, 

" Upon that hill call'd Beacon," 

of a monument to commemorate the struggle in which they had 
been so earnestly engaged, its history and its results. 

Immediately after the evacuation, in March 1776, as soon as 
the people of Boston regained possession of Beacon Hill, an- 
other pole was erected by the town nearly in the centre of the 
British fort ; and this remained in position for more than thir- 
teen years, long after the termination of the war, when it was 
blown down in a violent storm. In the Independent Chroni- 
icle of November 26, 1789, the occurrence is mentioned as 
follows : 

"The Beacon, which was erected on Beacon Hill, during the 
last war, to alarm the country in case of an invasion of the 
British into this town, was on Thursday night last blown down." 

In another notice of this storm, published the next week, it 
is said, " In the last storm, the Beacon that was erected on the 
spit of sand, at the entrance of the lower harbor, for the benefit 



04 BEACON HILL AND THE BEACON. 

of vessels coming in and going out, was blown down and taken 
up afloat in Braintree Bay, last Friday morning. The pole 
and wheels in good order." 

We have thus seen the end of the Beacon on the famous Tri- 
mountain ; there was nothing of it thereafter but the name. This 
still remains to the hill, and is perpetuated in one of the most 
beautiful and fashionable streets in the city, running on the 
upper side of the ancient Common, while one of the city's great 
thoroughfares bears the earlier name of Tremont, and runs 
approximately parallel with it on the opposite side of the 
Common. 

There is no reason to apprehend that the name of Beacon 
Hill will ever be eliminated from their history or forgotten by 
the people of Boston. 




BEACON HILL MONUMENT 






CHAPTER IX. 

Building of the Monument— Description of the Hill, new State House and 
Monument, from Dennie's Portfolio, in 1811— The Monument proposed 

Mr. Bulnnjh, the architect, famishes the design — His connection with 

Beacon Hill — Commencement of the work — Description from the Mass. 
Magazine, in 1790 —Absence of all public proceedings or ceremonies — 
Dimensions of the Column —Inscriptions upon the Tablets from Governor 
Bowdoiu's papers — Their authorship. 

After the close of the Revolutionary war, the establishment 
of the o-cneral government having " diffused confidence in the 
minds of the citizens, and all fears of invasion being happily 
removed." in 1790, the citizens of Boston erected the Beacon 
Hill Monument, "to commemorate that train of events which 
led to the American Revolution and finally secured Liberty and 
Independence to the United States." The spot chosen for the 
erection of this memorial column was historically famous and 
eminently conspicuous and commanding ; but, it would seem, was 
unwisely chosen in view of the prospective destruction of the 
hill, foreshadowed in the report of the town's committee twenty- 
two years before.* The monument was a plain, finely propor- 



* Sec page 37, ante. 



66 BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 

tioned Doric column, "built of" brick, covered with stucco, with 
foundation and mouldings of stone." 

Dennie's (Philadelphia) Portfolio, of November, 1811, gives 
a short account and description of the Monument, accompanied 
with the engraving which is here presented, said to be from an 
original painting by Sully. In describing the hill it says, "the 
eminence now called Beacon Hill, is the most elevated point in 
a range of hilly ground which runs from east to west, in the 
northwesterly part of Boston. It is of a regular conical form, 
and is elevated about one hundred and thirty-eight feet above 
the level of the sea. The State House stands on its southern 
declivity and faces the Common, an undulating plain of fifty 
acres, surrounded on three sides with elegant buildings and pub- 
lic walks. The remainder of the range of hills to the west, 
which was naturally broken and irregular, bus been regulated 
by art, and its declivities are the scene of the latest ornamented 
improvements of the town and bear the name of Mount Vernon." 

" The hill has ever been a favorite resort for the inhabitants 
of Boston, and one of the most attractive spots for the visits of 
strangers : the views are considered equal to those most cele- 
brated in the European world. But the erection of the State 
House, on the south side, and several dwelling houses on the 
east, having circumscribed the prospect ; and private claimants 
having by course of law, recovered possession of all but the 
original site of six rods scjuare, the column has been taken 
down, and the hill is rapidly digging away to the level of the 
foundation of the State House. The same beautiful views are 
stdl to be seen from this edifice, but the curious stranger is 
obliged to ascend to the cupola above the dome, to enjoy the 
whole circuit of the horizon." 



BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 67 

The Beacon had atood in its elevated position, watching over 
the town below it. through the period of the Revolutionary war, 
until the adoption of the Constitution, and had witnessed the 
splendid entry of Washington into the town, after his first elec- 
tion as President of the United States of America, on 
the 25th of October, US'.) ; and in one month after, on the 
26th of November, the Beacon having outlived its usefulness, 
fell to the earth by the blast of the storm. It was never again 
replaced, although the summit of the hill remained as it was 
left when the British fort was obliterated. Its fall, as announced 
in the newspapers of the day, very naturally attracted the 
public attention to the hill, and most probably led to the sugges- 
tion of the Monument, which was the next year built upon 
its summit. 

Mr. Charles Bulfinch, (who graduated at Harvard in 1781, 
and acquired his taste for architecture while superintending the 
repairs and improvements made on the ill-used and dilapidated 
houses in Boston, after the war,) is credited with having first 
suggested the work. He had just returned from study and 
travel in Europe, when the Beacon was blown down, and the 
same year, (1780,) was chosen one of the Selectmen of the 
town. He interested himself, as very naturally he would do 
after his first practice, in public improvements ; and it is said 
that he was not only the original projector of the Monument on 
Beacon Hill, but that he proposed the removal of the Beacon 
before it was blown down, for the purpose. Another statement 
is that immediately after the fall of the Beacon, a monument 
was proposed to crown the famous hill, and that Mr. Bulfinch, 
who was the first professional architect the town had ever had, 
furnished the design. We are not able to decide between these 



68 BEACON HILL MONUMEET. 

two statements. Mr. Bulfinch was young and ambitious in his 
profession, and was disposed to exercise his talents in the embel- 
lishment of the town. He had already furnished a design 
for a public theatre and had taken a prominent part in laying 
out Franklin Place, and had placed in the enclosure therein the 
Monumental Urn. which he imported and which now stands on 
his grave in Mount Auburn Cemetery. So that, whether he 
was the first to propose the monument or not, he no doubt took 
a great interest in its erection, and probably had the entire su- 
perintendence of the work. 

Mr. Bulfinch was a member of the Board of Selectmen fcr 
twenty-two years, and served the town with great faithfulness 
and benefit, most of the time as chairman of the board. He 
was the architect of the new State House, Court House, Fan- 
euil Hall, General Hospital, Asylum for the Insane, a number 
of the churches, banks, insurance buildings, school houses, &c, 
in Boston and other towns; and in 1817, was employed as 
architect to finish the national capitol at Washington. It is not 
too much to say that today his Avork abundantly shows his taste 
and skill in his profession. 

We mention these particulars in Mr. Bulfinch's career, for 
the reason that he was in different ways connected with the his- 
tory and use of Beacon Hill : first, in the design and erection 
of the Monument ; secondly, in the design and building of the 
new State House, and thirdly, in the filling of Charles street 
from its western elevations. He was also one of the Selectmen 
when Beacon street was widened, and the Mill-pond filled 
up. It is remarkable that in Mr. Bulfinclrs greatest enter- 
prises — Franklin Place and Charles street — he was financially 



BBACON HILL MONUMENT. 69 

unfortunate — and not. it is believed, from any misjudgmenta 
or mistakes of his own. 

The Monument, — the existence of which is remembered by 
few persons of the present day, — was commenced, as we know, 
without any public demonstration, some time in 1790, and does 
not appear to have been delayed for want of funds. It seems a 
little remarkable at this time, when every incident that may be 
considered news, however trifling, in which the public are sup- 
posed to feel any interest, gets into the daily newspaper, that no 
word can be found in relation to the building of this exceedingly 
interesting and unique monument — the first ever erected to 
commemorate the events of the great war which had so recently 
terminated. No mention is made, that we have been able to 
discover, of any meeting of citizens on the subject, of any gen- 
eral subscription for the object, of any arrangement for laying 
the corner-stone, or of any ceremonies or proceedings in its 
inauguration — not even to the extent of raising a flag in honor 
of its completion. 

The announcement of the building of the Monument was 
made in the Massachusetts Magazine, for December, 1790, 
as follows : " The column which has lately been erected on 
Beacon Hill by the subscriptions of a number of inhabitants of 
this town, is a plain column of the Doric order, raised on its 
proper pedestal, and substantially built of brick and stone. On 
each side of the pedestal is an inscription adapted to render the 
column of use in commemorating the leading events of the 
American Revolution, as well as an ornament to the hill and 
a useful landmark. 

"From the advanced season of the year and its exposed situa- 



70 BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 

tion, it has been found impossible to complete it until the spring, 
when it will be encrusted with a white cement, and a large 
Eagle of wood, gilt, supporting the American arms,* is to be 
placed above." 

The inscription upon one of the tablets, which have been pre- 
served with reasonable care, declares that the Monument was 
erected by the " voluntary contributions of the citizens of Bos- 
ton," but we have been unable to ascertain who were the con- 
tributors, or how general a subscription was made.f It would 
seem as if there must have been a building committee, or some 
organized body, and probably a treasurer, but we have found 
no account of their doings. The whole work, we conclude, was 
left in the hands of Mr. Bulfinch. We can have no doubt, how- 
ever, as to the principal contributors to the patriotic work ; and 
it may appear, possibly from personal considerations, that they 
declined to take any part in its erection or consecration. This 
entire absence of ceremony or public display, in a matter of so 
much interest to themselves, and of such intimate historical re- 
lations with the town, (if our suggestion shall be justified) pre- 
sents the character of the early defenders of the rights of the 
colony and the liberties of the people, in an honorable light. 



* These were not included in the structure. 

fMr. AMcn Bradford, in a biographical sketch of Thomas Russell, pub- 
lished in Hunt's Merchants' Magazine, vol. i., 1839, says, " Mr. Russell was 
benevolent, liberal and public spirited, in a degree equalled by very few of his 
contemporaries, or of those who have lived since his time. Mr. Russell was 
one of the contributors to the monument on Beacon Hill, (now taken down,) 
which bore an inscription of the great events of the revolution" 

Mr. Russell was a native of Charlestown, and one of the distinguished mer- 
chants of Boston, in 177-">-(). He died in 1796, at the age of 56. He lost a 
large part of his property in the burning of Charlestown, in 1775, and then 
removed to Boston with his business. 



BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 71 

DIMENSIONS OF THE MONUMENT. 

These Dimensions of the Monument are copied from a man- 
uscript which -was found among the papers of Governor Bow- 
doin, who was probably one of the principal contributors to the 
work and died (November, 1790) before it was completed : — 

Diam. Height. 
Stone plinth to support the whole, 8 feet, 5 feet. 

Moulding of pedestal, . . 7 " 

Die of pedestal, . . . 5.4 10 " 

Column, 4 feet, 33 (i 

Block upon the column, . . 3 " 4 " 

Eaizle in height, . . . . 5 " 



Total height, ... 57 feet. 



INSCRIPTIONS UPON THE TABLETS. 

The inscriptions placed upon the tablets in this monument, 
for the most part, are merely chronological, and are singularly 
felicitous, Ave judge, in simplicity, directness and freedom from 
anything laudatory either of persons or events. Three names 
only appear among the inscriptions, viz : those of Washington, 
Hancock and Bowdoin ; and there appear to be better reasons for 
this selection than might at first appear : Hancock, as Presi- 
dent of Congress, was the head of the embryo government, when 
the Colonies dissolved their relations with England and declared 
their independence ; WASHINGTON was at the head of the ar- 
mies of the country ; and in Massachusetts, Bowdoin presided 
over the Convention which formed the Constitution of the Com- 
monwealth. There were many, perhaps, but no other single 
name that could be added to these, in Massachusetts. Sam 



72 BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 

Adams was unquestionabty the great revolutionist of the coun- 
try : daring, bold and uncompromising ; high toned, high prin- 
cipled : comprehensive in his views, indomitable in his energies, 
•nexhaustible in his resources ; immovable in his convictions, 
unflinching in his purpose, never erring in his judgment, and the 
very embodiment of logical power. His name, if any, might 
have been placed at the head of the monument ; but it was not 
needed there, nor, as the people appear to have decided, on 
any monument of perishable material. 



Tablet on the South side. 



TO • COMMEMORATE 

THAT • TRAIN ■ OF ■ EVENTS 

WHICH • LED 

TO • THE • AMERICAN ■ REVOLUTION 

AND • FINALLY • SECURED 

LIBERTY • AND • INDEPENDENCE 

TO • THE • UNITED • STATES ■ 

THIS • COLUMN ■ IS • ERECTED 

BY • THE • VOLUNTARY • CONTRIBUTIONS 

OF • THE • CITIZENS 

OF • BOSTON 

MDCCXC. 



*Thc inscription on this Tabiet is a simple and direct statement of the pur- 
pose of the monument, viz. to commemorate " Events ;"' and yet, by some sin- 
gular hallucination, it would seem, in a recent historical volume, it is stated on 
the same page with the inscription, that it was erected " to commemorate those 
who fell at Bunker Hill." Another recent less pretentious volume, after men- 
tioning the murders at Lexington, on l'Jth of April, says the tight at Concord 
took place the next day ! 



BEACON niLL MONUMENT. 



73 



Tablet on the North Side. * 



Stamp Act passed 1765. Repealed 1766. 

Board of Customs established 1767. 

British troops fired on the Inhabitants of Boston 

March 5 1770. 

Tea Act passed 1773. 

Tea destroyed in Boston Decern : 16 

Port of Boston shut and guarded June 1. 1774. 

General Congress at Philadelphia Sept : 4. 

Provincial Congress at Concord Oct : 11. 

Battle of Lexington April 19. 1775. 

Battle of Bunker Hill June 17. 

Washington took command of the Army July 2. 

Boston Evacuated March 17. 1776. 

Independance declared by Congress July 4. 1776. 

Hancock President. 



* Dr. Shurtletf and others, locate this tablet on the West side of the Mon- 
ument ; but we have two manuscript copies of the inscriptions, one from the 
papers of Governor Bowdoin, which is inscribed "Inscriptions for the Column 
on Beacon Hill,"' and the other from the papers of the late Benjamin Gleaion, 
copied from the Monument by him, both of which mention this as the tablet on 
the North side. 



74 



BEACON IIILL MONUMENT. 



Tablet on the West Side* 



Capture of Hessians at Trenton Dec : 26. 177G. 

Capture of Hessians at Bennington Aug : 16. 1777. 

Capture of British Army at Saratoga Oct : 17. 

Alliance with France Feb: 6. 1778. 

Confederation of United States formed July 9. 

Constitution of Massachusetts formed 1780. 

Bowdoin President of Convention. 

Capture of British Army at York Oct: 19. 1781. 

Prelimenaries of Peace Nov : 30. 1782. 

Definitive Treaty of Peace Sept : 10. 1783. 

Federal Constitution formed Sept : 17. 1787. 

an4 ratified by the United States 1787 to. 1790. 

New Congress assembled at New York April. 6. 1780. 

Washington inaugurated President April 30. 

Public Debts funded Aug : 4. 1790. 



*Thia Tablet is generally placed in all the printed notices of the monument, 
on the North side, but we place it on the West side, according to the manu- 
script authorities mentioned. 



BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 75 



Tablet on the East Side. 



• AMERICANS ■ 

WHILE • FROM ■ THIS ■ EMINENCE 

SCENES • OF • LUXURIANT ■ FERTILITY 

OF • FLOURISHING • COMMERCE 

& • THE • ABODES ■ OF ■ SOCIAL • HAPPINESS 

MEET • YOUR ■ VIEW 

FORGET • NOT ■ THOSE • 

WHO • BY • THEIR ■ EXERTIONS 

HAVE • SECURED ■ TO ■ YOU 

THESE • BLESSINGS. 



We are obliged to say that the authorship of these appropri- 
ate and comprehensive inscriptions is among the unknown things 
regarding this monument. ' Dr. Shurtleff says, in his paper 
on the subject, published in 1865, that Judge Dawes had 
the reputation of being the author of them : and the Rev. Ste- 
phen G. Bulfinch, in a paper prepared for the Boston Society 
of Architects, in 1869, asserts that his father suggested the 
monument, "for which he gave the design and furnished the 
inscriptions." He does not notice the previous statement made 
by Dr. Shurtleff, or give any reasons, or state any facts, in sup- 
port of his own opinion. It has been thought also by some that 
the inscriptions were furnished by Gov. Bowdoin, who certainly 
had a very early copy of them 'among his papers. Some fur- 



76 BEACON HILL MONUMENT. 

ther evidence seems to be necessary before the matter can be de- 
cided and the honor awarded to whom it belongs. 

The Tablets are of slate, 3 feet 6 by 4 feet G in size ; and 
the cutting of the inscriptions, — a work of extraordinary labor 
— is done with remarkable skill and correctness, fully equal to 
similar work of the present day. The inscriptions on the south 
and east tablets are cut in capital letters, as here printed ; the 
other two in lower case, old style letters. There are two errors 
in orthography, in the words " prelimenaries" and "Independ- 
ence," and the rules of punctuation are quite disregarded ; but 
none of these faults, according to Governor Bowdoin's copy, are 
chargeable to the workmen.* 

With regard to the correctness of the inscriptions, it is to be 
observed that the Tea was destroyed on the night of the 16th 
December, often considered 17th ; that the General Congress 
at Philadelphia met on 5th of September, the 4th being Sun- 
day ; and that Gen. Washington arrived at Cambridge on the 
2d of July (Sunday) and assumed command on the 3d. He 
reached Watertown on the 1st, and the address of Congress to 
him is included in the proceedings of that date. 

The Monument was built in the same year that the last one 
of the original thirteen Colonies, (Rhode Island), adopted the 
Constitution, (May 1790,) a few weeks before the commence- 
ment of the work. The Monument was enclosed " by a fence 
of rails, in front of which were benches for the accommodation 
of those who ascend the hill." 



* One slight error occurs in our own print, on page 72: for "contribu- 
tions" read " contribution." In our manuscript copies the word stands as on 
the txblet, in the singular number. 



THE MONUMENT — NEW STATE HOUSE. 



CHAPTER X. 

The first public monument of the revolution — Should have been respected and 
preserved — The New State House contemplated by Gov. Hancock — Lay- 
ing the corner-stone by the Grand Lodge — Inscription on the plate — En- 
largement of the building — Its unrivalled location — Extract from the 
journal of a visitor — " Beacon Hill : a local poem." 

The promptitude -with which this work was undertaken and 
completed by the public spirited and patriotic citizens of Boston, 
who had contributed so largely to the initiation and success of 
the American revolution, was characteristic of the activities of 
the times. It was the first public memorial of that great event, 
and occupied the historic eminence of the town. Its position 
was elevated and grand ; it was visible from long distances 
around the town, was an object of abiding interest with the peo- 
ple and the especial attraction to strangers when visiting the 
place. It loomed up in the landscape, an ornament to the high- 
est point of the Tri-mountain. and was not merely a landmark, 
but a durable record of the history of wrongs attempted and 
rights redressed and secured in the interest of posterity. It 
marked as well the public spirit and generosity of the inhabi- 



78 THE NEW STATE HOUSE. 

tants of Boston as their patriotism, indomitable zeal and self- 
sacrificing spirit in the cause of the country and freedom. 

Such a structure, so conceived and so intended, should have 
been respected and preserved for the great cause it represented ; 
and it may well be believed the people beheld with great dissat- 
isfaction the final disposition of the hill which had given its fa- 
miliar and historic name to the town and supported the first 
patriotic memorial of the struggle for liberty and independence. 
The erection of the New State House, in 1795-6, though still 
further adding to its ornament, determined the fate of the hill 
in the future : there was no hope of saving it, had it been per- 
manently desirable, after this appropriation of Governor Han- 
cock's pasture. The New State House had been contemplated 
for some years before its erection, by Governor Hancock, who 
lived on the estate while he held the gubernatorial office ; and 
it was his intention, as we now know, by a will which he was 
not able to execute, to have left to the State that portion of it 
which it now occupies. He was the first Governor of the Com- 
monwealth after the adoption of the Constitution, in 1780, and 
held the office (from 1780 to '85, four years, and from 1787 to 
October '93, nearly six years) for nearly ten years, and was 
succeeded in his last term by his distinguished co-patriot, Samuel 
Adams. Governor Bowdoin held the office for two years (1785 
and '86) between the terms of Hancock. It is impossible that 
either of these gentlemen could have failed to perceive the ne- 
cessity for a new State House in a more eligible position than 
the existing edifice, during his term of office. 

The corner-stone of the New State House was laid with pub- 
lic ceremonies on the fourth of July. 1795, in which the author- 
ities of the State and Town united in a grand procession, or- 



THE NEW STATE HOUSE. 79 

ganized by the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts. The 
procession was escorted by the Independent Eusileers and was 
chiefly composed of the Masonic bodies, the State and town au- 
thorities, the clergy, strangers of distinction and citizens. One 
of the prominent features in the procession was '• The corner- 
stone, on a truck, decorated with ribbons, drawn by fifteen white 
horses, each with a leader." The inscription upon the plate de- 
posited under the stone was as follows : 

" This corner-stone of a building intended for the use of the 
Legislature and Executive Branches of the Government of the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was laid by His Excellency 
Samuel Adams, Esq., Governor of said Commonwealth, assisted 
by the M. W. Paul Revere. Grand Master, and the R. W. Wm. 
Scollay, Deputy Grand Master, the Grand Wardens and Breth- 
ren of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, on the 4th day of July, 
An. Dom. 1795, A. L. 5795, being the 20th anniversary of 
American Independence/' Charles Bulfinch was the architect. 

In 1855, when the State House was repaired and enlarged on 
the north side, it was found necessary to provide a new corner- 
stone, under which the old plate was deposited. The ceremony 
was performed by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, as before, 
and the following inscription was borne upon the new plate : 

" The corner-stone of the capitol having been removed in con- 
sequence of alteration and additions to the building, the origi- 
nal deposit, together with this inscription, is replaced by the 
Most Worshipful Winslow Lewis, M. D., Grand Master, and 
other officers and Brethren of the Grand Lodge of .Massachu- 
setts, in presence of His Excellency Henry J. Gardner, Gover- 
nor of the Commonwealth on the 11th day of August, A. D. 
1855, A. L. 5855." 



80 CHARMS OF BEACON HILL. 

Certainly nothing could be objected to the location of this 
noble and handsome structure, whatever the consequences should 
be to the hill. It was admirable in all respects and remains so 
today although encompassed by buildings. It is almost unri- 
valled in position : standing nearly in the centre of the city, 
overlooking the harbor and surrounding country, fronting the 
open common and commanding from its cupola the grand pano- 
rama of land and water, town, village and distant mountain, 
which had given so much celebrity to the bill in its early his- 
tory. It stands today, with its golden dome, more conspicuous 
and attractive than ever, and as no effort could save the historic 
hill, it fully comp3nsates its loss. 

The bill and the monument are mentioned in the Journal of 
Nathaniel Cutting, who visited Boston, in 1792, as follows : 

" September 4. Took a stroll on Beacon Hill, from the sum- 
mit whereof one may behold the most variegated and luxuriant 
scenery that nature and art combined present through her ex- 
tensive works. Our friends did not fail to express their admi- 
ration of the delightful prospect, and to declare that neither in 
Europe nor in any other part of America, did they ever enjoy 
so charming .a view. We found fault with the ridiculous Obe- 
lisk [?], if such the thing may be called, which is placed on the 
highest point of the hill by way of ornament : it puts one in 
mind of a farthing candle placed in a large candle-stick upon 
the altar of some Roman Catholic Chapel." 

The commendation of the scenery from Beacon Hill in this 
extract is respectful and proper ; but the remarks concerning 
the monument, which was in no sense an obelisk, but a hand- 
some Doric column, are exceedingly absurd. 



" BEACON HILL A LOCAL POEM." 81 

The party afterwards visited the Craigie summer house in 
Cambridge, and the writer says. " I think I may safely assert 
that after Beacon Hill, in Boston, this spot presents the most 
beautiful, extensive and variegated landscape in the world." 

There was published at Boston, in 1797, by Manning & Lor- 
ing. a thin quarto volume entitled, " Beacon Hill. A local po- 
em. Historic and descriptive, Book I. Published according to 
act of Congress." It was sent forth anonymously, but was the 
production of Sarah Wentworth Morton,* and is by no means 
without merit. It is perhaps remarkable that in the work itself 
excepting on the title-page, the name of Beacon Hill does not 
occur ; and although published seven years after the completion 
of the monument to commemorate the deeds of the heroes spoken 
of or alluded to in the poem, not the slightest allusion is made 
to that work. In the author's " Apology for the Poem," the 
lady says : — 

"lam aware it may be objected to the production which as- 
sumes the title of Beacon Hill, that the appellation is not suffi- 
ciently appropriate, and that twenty other names would equally 
apply to those conspicuous features which the author has at- 
tempted to delineate. True — but 

" What's in a name ? That which we call a Rose 
By any other name would smell as sweet." 

"If the performance has merit, the name, as it does not im- 
ply an absurdity, will not, it is presumed, create an objection ; 
or if, in concurrence with the fears of its author, the whole is 



• In 1778, Perez Morton married Sarah Wentworth Apthorp, at Quincy, 
and Paine speaks of her as the American Sappho. 



82 MRS. MORTON'S POEM. 

consigned to hopeless oblivion — By any other name the thing 
would sink as low. 

" Yet when it is remembered, that the great events which 
form the substance of the piece, originated within the view of 
this interesting eminence, the mind, by the natural association 
of ideas, will be easily led to contemplate every succeeding oc- 
currence of the Revolution." 

The remainder of the "apology" is mainly personal to the 
writer. The opening passage of the poem is the only portion 
that refers to Beacon Hill, descriptive of the scenery from its 
summit, and is as follows : 

" Far from this spot, ye light delusions, fly, 

While tix'd Attention lifts her boundless eye, 

O'er Bunker's field each hallow'd view explores, 

Sees the twin-rivers lave the purple shores, 

Where the high soil disdaiu'd the trembling flood. 

And stain'd the white wave with Britannia's blood. 

Unwearying change tbe sacred scene displays 

Pillar'd with hills, that fling the morning rays, 

And glass'd with streams, that through the twilight glade 

Reflect the reddening skies and broider'd shade ; 

Here the light scyons' wavy beauties flow, 

And seem a plumage on the mountain's brow ; 

There the proud dome o'erlooks the distant mead, 

Where the blue Mystic lifts his sparkling head, 

Ceres in smiles her liberal treasure yields, 

And waves of gold enrich the floating fields." 



BEACON HILL SPRINGS. 







CHAPTER XL 



Blackstone's Spring — The Great Spring in Spring Lane — Springate — Mount 
Vernon Springs — Spring in Howard Street — Theory of Dr. Lathrop 
concerning the Beacon Hill Springs — Observations on the well at the 
State House — On the sources and supply of the Springs. 

One of the marked and pe:uliar features of Beacon Hill, in 
early times, was its fresh water springs, which appear to have 
flowed from all sides of it, and to some extent do so still. That 
known as Blackstone's* Spring, which was located in what is 
now Louisbourg Square, said to have been near the centre 
of the present grass plot, was one of the most celebrated, and 
Dr. Shurtleff says was that which induced Gov. Winthrop and 
his company to remove from Charlcstown in 1G30 ; but this does 
not seem probable, since it was in the westerly part of the pen- 



84 BEACON HILL SPRINGS. 

insula and far from the settlement made by them : it was there- 
fore practically useless for their purposes. The great spring, 
whether it be considered as coming from Beacon Hill or not, 
and that which became historical, as well as useful, was that in 
Spring Lane, which was within the settlement. This was en- 
closed at an early period with a fence and gate and was known 
probably for more than a century as Springate. When the 
spring became weakened by the digging of wells above it, 
a pump was put into the enclosure, and this was in use until 
the beginning of the present century, nearly two hundred years 
after the settlement of the town. On the erection of the present 
post-office building on Devonshire street, near the foot of Spring 
Lane, the spring again appeared in the cellar, this time to the 
annoyance of the workmen, and is still flowing, though its use- 
fulness has been superceded. Blackstone's Spring was also used 
in modern times, according to Shurtleff, and one farther to the 
west, mentioned by Dearborn as on the hill " directly opposite 
Charles street meeting house," which is described as "a boiling 
spring, open in three places, at about 80 feet above the level of 
the water." This spring must have been west or northwest 
of Blackstone's, and higher up the hill, and is probably the one 
which Dr. Shurtleff mentions as having been used for many 
years by the colored people in that section of the town for wash- 
ing clothes and other purposes. 

There was also a prominent spring on the northeast slope of 
the hill, situated in Howard street, on the spot occupied by the 
Howard Theatre, and this is said to be still in use. 

The remarkable thing about some of these springs, and that 
in the well at the State House, is their height above tide- 



BEACON HILL SPKINGS. 85 

water, or any known source of supply within the limits of the 
peninsula. 

Dr. John Lathrop, in the Memoirs of the American Academy, 
in the year 1800, after the State House was built, says, " on the 
north as well as on the south side of Beacon Hill, and on the 
range of high ground connected with it, many springs are found 
and some of them seem to be inexhaustible. * * * The water 
is of an excellent quality, * * * and from the elevation of 
the ground the water might be sent in refreshing streams to 
the greatest part of the town ; but while this comfort is quite 
at command, it has hitherto been neglected. * * * It is to 
be hoped these hills will be regarded with a kind of religious 
respect, and that the municipal authority will never suffer their 
venerable heads to be brought low." This, as has been seen, 
the municipal authorities have been unable to prevent. 

Notwithstanding the existence of these springs on different 
sides of the hill, the well to supply the State House with water 
was carried to the depth of ninety-six feet, commencing as stat- 
ed, at a point thirty-five feet below the top of the hill. As 
the hill was one hundred and thirty-eight feet six inches above 
the level of the sea, the bottom of the well was seven feet six 
inches above the same level. "No spring was found in any 
of the strata until the workmen entered on the last. After dig- 
ging a foot, or a foot and a half in the last stratum (the tenth), 
the bottom became so soft and the water came in so fast, that 
the workmen were obliged to desist."* 

From observations made by Dr. Lathrop it appeared that the 
depth of water in the well varied with the rise and fall of the 

* Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, vol. iii. 



86 BEACON HILL SPRINGS. 

tides in the harbor : on the 10th of October, 1797, at low wa- 
ter, it was 7 feet 11 inches deep ; the next day at high water, 
8 feet 11 inches. In July 1798, high water, fall moon, it was 
12 feet 5 inches : the surface of the water at this time being 19 
feet 11 inches above the. sea level. In illustration of his subject 
Dr. Lathrop presents a diagram, showing the springs in the hill 
and arguing that they are supplied from some pond in the inte- 
rior whose waters are making their way to the ocean under the 
ground. From this diagram we copy the accompanying profile 
of the hill and quote some portions of the paper : 

" On this peninsula are what I shall take the liberty of call- 
ing the upper and nether springs. * * The nether springs 
are those which are found under a body of clay, from 80 to 120 
feet deep. * * The sources cannot be found in the peninsula. 
* * Beacon Hill is only 188 feet and a half high, and its 
shape is such that the vapours which are attracted to it, and the 
rains which fall upon it, must run quickly down its steep sides 
to the sea. * * No reservoir can be found in the hills on 
the peninsula sufficient to raise the water in the wells 75 or 80 
feet above the level of the sea. * * Under the stratum of 
clay, generally more than 100 feet thick, which is found in all 
the low parts of the town, there are waters, either in veins of 
sand or gravel, or in currents, passing continually to the sea. 
Whenever these veins or currents are opened by the spade or 
augur of the well digger, water is forced up with violence, and 
in some cases flows over the ground. As reservoirs are not to 
be found on the peninsula, sufficient to supply the springs, and 
to raise the water in the wells so much above the sea, where 
shall we look for them ? I believe we must look into the coun- 
try. * * The ponds at the northward, at the west and south- 



BEACON HILL SPRINGS. 87 

ward, have a sufficient elevation, and as reservoirs, contain 
quantities of water, sufficient to furnish innumerable springs be- 
tween them and the sea. Let us suppose that under some pond, 
several miles from Boston, there is placed a stratum of clay, 
which serves as a basin to prevent the water from sinking into 
the earth, and that next to the stratum of clay there is a vein of 
gravel, and over that clay again, or hard earth, (as we find 
strata commonly disposed,) and we may conceive of a complete 
acqueduct from the pond to the sea. * * In the drawing an- 
nexed [of which we give only the Beacon Hill portion] the pond 
and stratum of gravel between strata of clay, may be considered 
as one leg of an .inverted syphon : the well dug in the side of 
the hill, and which just enters the water, may be considered as 
the other leg. The pressure on the pond would raise the water 
in the well to the same level, if the syphon was complete. * * 
On the preceding principles we easily account for the ebbing and 
flowing of the water in wells near the sea. The pressure of the 
tide against the mouths of the subterranean acqueduct will pre- 
vent for a time the passage of the water ; of course the water 
will rise in the wells, which are supplied by those acqueducts. 
When the tide falls, the water will fall in the wells situated as 
now supposed. Thus does the Almighty ' : send waters into the 
vallies, which run among the hills : they go up by the moun- 
tains, they go down by the vallies, unto the place which is ap- 
pointed for them." 

Besides those already mentioned, it is said some of the Mount 
Vernon springs are still flowing on premises in that neighbor- 
hood, which they will probably continue to do, as the use of 
wells has been wholly discontinued in the city. 



88 • BEACON HILL SPRINGS. 

It is stated that the original name of the peninsula, which 
was Shawmut, signifies a place of " living fountains." It is 
pretty evident that numerous springs underlie the peninsula in 
all directions, as there has never been any deficiency of water 
obtainable by means of wells, even in those portions of the city 
redeemed from the waters of the harbor. When the South Cove 
was filled up in 1834-7, fifty-six acres of which were originally 
covered by the tides, five artesian wells were sunk on the prem- 
ises, "all of which," it was said, "furnished an inexhaustible 
supply of good soft water." About 1841-2, an artesian well 
was sunk at East Boston, at the end of the wharf occupied by 
the Cunard Steamships, near the edge of the channel, and good 
water obtained, liable to be a little brackish. It was stated some 
years ago that the digging of a well at Charlestown cut off the 
water from two wells on Copp's Hill, in Boston, probably only 

for a short time. 

The small vessels on the right of the engraving represent the 
sea level. It will be noticed that the profile or section of the 
hill in the diagram, very nearly resembles the view of the hill 
taken from Snow's History of Boston. 




OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 



CHAPTER XII. 

The fate of Beacon Hill — Its value as a gravel bank and as real estate — Its 
first owner — Division of the land and future ownership — Col. Shrimp- 
ton — John Yeamans — Its use as a cow pasture — Its principal divis- 
ions — The easterly portion — Hancock mansion — Decease of Thomas 
Hancock and his widow — Inheritance of John Hancock — Final division 
of the property — Naming the streets — Sale of the monument lot by the 
town — Celebrated law case : Thurston vs. Hancock and another. 

The fate of Beacon Hill, if not foretold by the failure of the 
town to stop the work of Thomas Hodson, in 1764, was as we 
have already intimated, determined by the erection of the State 
House. The erection of the monument, with all its patriotic 
associations, could not save it. In fact, singular as it may ap- 
pear, it soon became in a two fold sense, too valuable to save 
had the desire to do so been even stronger than it was : it was 
more valuable as a gravel bank than it was as a cow pasture, 
and soon became property. Some early grants to settlers had 
been made on its slopes, but these probably did not reach the 
summit, which the town had appropriated and which alone it 
held. For more than a century it was common land, open to 
anybody's cows, as was the Common for nearly a century after- 
wards, and the Neck lands for many years after that. 

It appears that Robert Turner was the first owner of Beacon 



90 OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 

Hill, and he probably got possession of it by the gradual exten- 
sion of his cow pasture up its side, as did Thomas Hancock, 
many years later. Turner wp.s an inhabitant of the colony 
as early as 1637 ; was an owner of land in 1638-9 ; was elect- 
ed constable in 1646 ; was a commissioner for settling the boun- 
daries between Cambridge and "Rocksbury," in 1654, and also 
between Cambridge and Boston, the following year — so he was 
evidently a man of some consequence and of family. At the 
time of his death he was possessed of about eight acres of land, 
on and near the summit of Beacon Hill, the westerly boundary 
of which was nineteen feet east of what long afterwards was 
called Hancock street. An old deed to Robert Turner, of the 
town's rights, probably the first deed ever made of the hill, was 
of the date of 1670. 

Robert Turner was by profession a shoemaker, was also a ser- 
geant and was called "Brother" Turner by the church people, 
and may possibly have been the " ward" of the Beacon, after 
it was put up, and thus have had a residence well up on the 
side of the hill in the early time. 

The question of ownership of Beacon Hill was thoroughly 
investigated in 1855, by Dr. N. I. Bowditch, who published 
a series of articles in the Evening Transcript, from which we 
make the following extracts : 

" John Turner was one of the devisees of his father. Robert 
Turner, and had acquired portions by deed from the executrix. 
He in 1673, sells to Samuel Shrimpton a small slip of land, in 
breadth, 23 feet front, bounded on the Common, south, and in 
length 180 feet, bounded on said Samuel, west, and on the way 
leading up from the Trainingfield to Centry Hill, on the east 
side, and running from the east corner in front on the south line, 






OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 91 

182 feet. This is a gore of the State House estate, bounded east 
on the highway to the Monument [Beacon], i. e. Mount Vernon 
street. John Turner died 1681. and his executors sold two acres 
of said Mount Vernon street, or the Monument highway, to 
George Monk, in 108 1. On the same day they sold to said 
Shrimpton " all that land upon and by the side of Beacon Hill, 
bounded on said Shrimpton and on Elizabeth Cook, widow, or 
Humphrey Davis and others, on several points and quarters, re- 
serving unto the town of Boston their privileges and interest on 
the top of said hill, and passage from the Common thereto. 

" Colonel Shrimpton thus acquired all Beacon Hill and a gore 
of the State House lot, the deed of said gore bounding on the 
residue of the said State House lot, &c. already his. Besides 
these estates and Noddle's Island, he owned the Union Bank 
building, and from that circumstance, Exchange street was, for 
many years, known as Shrimpton's Lane. He was decidedly 
one of the greatest men of his day. He died and by will, proved 
February 17, 1G79, devised to his wife Elizabeth for life, the 
residue of his estate with power to dispose of these among her 
relatives by deed or will. She married Simeon Stoddard, and 
died in 1713, devising to her grand-daughter, Elizabeth Shrimp- 
ton, various other estates for life, remainder to her heirs in tail. 
Her inventory appraises ' the pasture joining to Beacon Hill, 
<£50.' [Decidedly cheap for the State House lot and about two 
acres north of it !J She married John Yeamans, in 1720, and 
died leaving an only child, Shute Shrimpton Yeamans, who in 
1742, becoming of age, barred the entail, and vested the fee in 
his father. The deeds, besides mentioning the particular estates 
devised in tail, included -all the lands; &c. in Boston. Rumney 
marsh or elsewhere, of which Mrs. Mary Yeamans was tenant 
in tail by force of said will.' 



92 OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 

"John Yeamans dying, the estate became again his son's, who 
in 1752, conveyed to Thomas Hancock, 'a piece of land near 
Beacon Hill, containing two acres, late the estate of my great 
grandfather, Samuel Shrimpton, bounded south on the Common, 
west on said Thomas Hancock in part, and in part on common 
land ; then turns and is bounded north on common land ; and 
then east on the street or highway leading from the Common to 
Beacon Hill.' Now there were about 75,000 feet of land, or 
nearly two acres in the State House lot, and the above descrip- 
tion evidently proceeds on an erroneous idea that the common 
lands of the town included nearly all Beacon Hill. But we 
have seen the old deed of 1670 to John Turner, by which the 
town right is limited to six rods square and the highway leading 
to it. And from the Selectmen's minutes of January 17, 1753, 
we find that on petition of Thomas Hancock, an investigation 
was had of the town's rights, which were then, also, in like man- 
ner, limited to six rods square and the thirty feet highway. 

"The result is that Thomas Hancock thus obtained all Bea- 
con Hill, one hundred years ago, without paying one cent for it, 
and he and those coming after him, retained possession by pas- 
turing cows there. These ruminating animals, while quietly 
chewing the cud in that splendid cattle field, (where by the way 
they must have been ' the observed of all observers,') also si- 
lently eat up the inheritance of poor Shute Shrimpton Yeamans 
and his heirs. One of these very heirs, a high officer of' the 
Commonwealth, (Gen. William H. Sumner,) as he looked at 
them, year after year, from the State House windows, was prob- 
ably wholly unconscious that they were feeding at his expense. 
The language of the deed to Hancock, seeming to recognize the 
ownership of this hill by the town, it became the subject of pro- 






OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 93 

tracted litigation, in which the inhabitants were at last defeated, 
and while the Hancock heirs and the town were quarrelling for 
what belonged to neither of them, the true owners were placidly 
looking on in a blissful state of ignorance." 

"We have seen that Thomas Hancock, in 1752, commenced 
his title to this spot on Beacon Hill which was perfected by the 
grazing of cows. The will of Mr. Turner devised to his sons, 
Ephraim, Joseph and John, and his son-in-law, John Fayer- 
wether. Ephraim sold out wholly to Fayerwether, and there is 
one deed from Joseph to John, bounded south on Joseph's re- 
maining land : this residue seems also to have been subsequent- 
ly acquired by said John Turner. Of the whole estate of the 
testator, the easterly three acres are finally held under Fayer- 
wether, (being the Sears, Phillips and Bowdoin estates.) The 
middle two and three quarter acres, partly under him and part- 
ly under John Turner, (being the Rogers estate), while the 
Beacon Hill lot of one and three quarter acres, and a respecta- 
ble gore of the State house lot, say two acres in all, are held 
exclusively under said John Turner — so that the entire estate 
of Robert Turner holds out seven and three quarter acres, or as 
supposed, about eight acres." * * * 

The easterly portion of the hill, between the highway leading 
to the six rods square, and Bowdoin street, does not appear ever 
to have been included in the Hancock estate, though it did be- 
long to the estate of Robert Turner. It passed through various 
hands at different times until it came into the possession of 
William Thurston. Dr. Bowditch gives the following account 
of it : — 

"Among the lots sold by D. D. Rogers, the estate on Bow- 
doin street, owned some years ago by President Quincy and 



94 OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 

others, 80 feet front, was in 1802, conveyed by him to William 
Thurston. * * * Mr. Thurston, in 1804, erected a house 
from which he could literally look down upon all his fellow-citi- 
zens. It stood in about the centre of his land from north to 
south, while it was but two feet distant, on the west side, from 
the monument lot. It was approached only by steps, and it was 
even found necessary to hoist up all his wood, &c." It was a 
lar^e and elegant building for the time, and before it was taken 
down stood perched upon its elevated bank, " overtopping the 
chimnics of the neighboring houses." 

Mr. Thomas Hancock occupied his splendid mansion and lord- 
ly estate, for more than twenty-five years, and died in 1764. 
Among numerous bequests, evincing great public spirit and 
liberality, he gave to his widow, Lydia, £10,000 sterling; also 
" the mansion house wherein I now dwell, with the gardens, 
yard and land belonging to it, and all the houses, edifices and 
buildings adjoining, or anyways appertaining to the same as 
now improved and occupied by me, and also the lands near it, 
that I bought of Messrs. Yeamans and Thompson, and the house 
and land I bought of Ebenezer Messenger, adjoining to my gar- 
den. I also give unto her all my plate and household furniture 
of every kind, and my chariots, chaises, carriages and horses ; 
and also all my negroes — all which she is to hold to herself and 
her heirs forever," &c. " This devise to the widow included all 
the State House and lands west of it to Belknap street, and all 
Beacon Hill north of it. (between six and seven acres.) !So 
that she was the richest widow that had ever lived in Boston, 
and, strange to say, she remained single. Mrs. Lydia Hancock, 
(nfi Henchman) died in 1777, devising the famous Brattle 
street parsonage estate and making many other legacies, and 



OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 95 

constituting her nephew, Gov. John Hancock, sole residuary 
legatee and executor — who thus became owner of this princely 
inheritance, where he resided until his death in 1793." 

It Avill be seen from these statements that Governor Hancock 
did not receive the large estate of his uncle directly from him, 
as generally stated, but from his widow, who enjoyed the posses- 
sion of it for about thirteen years after her husband's death. 

The writer of the papers referred to gives the following par- 
ticulars concerning the Hancock estate : " The Hancock title I 
should characterize by words beginning with d. Its descents, 
devises, deeds, divisions and dowers, with its doubts, difficulties 
and defects, make it the very d — 1. * * The Governor died 
without issue, leaving a widow, a mother (who by a subsequent 
marriage became Mrs. Perkins), a brother, (Ebenezer.) and 
twelve children of a deceased sister, two of whom successively 
married Samuel Spear. One of these wives of Mr. Spear left 
seven children, who each claimed l-252d part. So minute was 
the share of each that on a partition, in 1819. of the Beacon 
street lands, each of these children had a strip set off, measur- 
ing less than 18 inches on Beacon street in width by 80 feet in 
depth. * * Mount Verncn street was laid out across the 
Hancock estate, a few years after the Governor's death, in con- 
tinuation of the lower part of the street, which had been laid 
out by the Mount Vernon proprietors. Temple street stopped a 
few feet south of Derne street, or at the north base of Beacon 
Hill. * * A very elaborate partition was made in 1819 of 
this Beacon Hill lot, each of the said children here getting a 
strip of land measuring less than two feet four inches on Mount 
Vernon street by 60 feet deep." 



96 OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 

" The name of Temple street was selected as one of the names 
of the family of Gov. Bowdoin, whose daughter was Elizabeth, 
Lady Temple, wife of Sir John Temple. * * Beacon street 
seems to have been so named because it did not lead to the Bea- 
con. Mount Vernon street, (as it ranged from east to west), 
was three hundred feet nearer to it, and thus had a better right 
to have been so called ; but Temple street, as extended, actually 
hit the monument and knocked it over, and therefore was not 
named for it." Temple street was named long before the mon- 
ument was erected. 

In 1811, as a measure of municipal economy and relief from 
debt, the town proposed to sell some portions of its public lands, 
and the sale took place on the 20th day of June. Among other 
lands sold was that on Beacon Hill, upon which the Monument 
stood, originally reserved by the town in 1635. This lot was 
purchased by Samuel Spear and John Hancock, and the deed 
is to be found in the Suffolk Registry, Lib. 238, folio 176, and 
reads in part as follows : 

" The town of Boston, by their Committee, August 10, 
1811, sold to Samuel Spear and John Hancock, the land on 
which the Monument was erected, being six rods square, bound- 
ed easterly by lands of William Thurston, in part, and land of 
the heirs of the late Governor Hancock ; northerly and westerly 
by land of the same heirs in part, and a passage way in part. 
Said passage way being thirty-two feet wide, leading to the 
above described land and extending from Centry street, formerly 
so called, to the above, described premises." 

This transaction is mentioned by Dr. Bowditch as follows : — 
" The town conveyed to John Hancock and Samuel Spear, in 
1811. the six rods square on which the monument stocd, and all 



OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 97 

right in the highway leading to it, 30 feet by 60 feet, say 11,- 
600 feet, for the miserable pittance of 80 cents per foot, 
($> 9,300.) The monument was then a substantial structure, 
with inscriptions on its four sides. These are still preserved. 
I trust that they will preserve for the remembrance of a grate- 
ful posterity the names of those who, when they erected it. meant 
that it should stand for ages ; and I regret that I cannot con- 
sign to deserved infamy the names of those who so disgracefully 
turned an official penny by selling it. Such persons would sell 
a family grave yard.'' 

After this unaccountable and most reprehensible sale of the 
monument lot — almost as if it were the work of tory conniv- 
ance — the removal of the hill, which had been so gradually 
going on for years, became at once more rapid, and the renown- 
ed summit was soon levelled to the foundation line of the new 
State House. The Monument, Ave have been informed, was re- 
moved by Mr. Spear, one of the purchasers of the land, and it 
is said that he saved the tablets. 

"In the 12th Mass. Reports, 220. is a very celebrated law 
case — Thurston vs. Hancock et al. — from which it appears 
that the defendants in 1811, dug down their land on the west, 
60 feet below the original level, and the earth fell in, leaving 
bare plaintiff's cellar wall, and rendering his house unsafe, so 
that it had to be taken down. His damages were laid at twenty 
thousand dollars. The decision was that ' no action lay for the 
owner of the house for damages done to the house ; but that he 
was entitled to an action for damages arising from the falling of 
his natural soil into the pit so dug.' A very learned opinion 
was given by Judge Parker. It was founded on the idea that 
Mr. Thurston must have known that his next neighbors 'had 



98 OWNERSHIP OF BEACON HILL. 

a right to build equally near to the line, or to dig down the soil 
for any other lawful purpose ;' and that ' from the shape and 
nature of the ground, it was impossible to dig without caus- 
ing excavations.' 

" This opinion has always been unsatisfactory to many of the 
profession. The town had owned this ninety-nine feet square, 
the summit of the hill, with the thirty feet way to it, for the 
purpose of sustaining a beacon, and as a spot accessible to all 
citizens and strangers. It could not reasonably have been sup- 
posed that for any sum of money, much less that for a mere 
mess of pottage, the town could have been induced to part with 
the one object that made it distinctly the Queen of all the cities 
on this continent. This area on the summit of the hill having 
been retained for these high public objects, the adjoining individ- 
ual owners would have held their lands subject to the easement 
that this area and the way to it should forever remain unmolest- 
ed ; and but for the suicidal act of the town itself in selling it, 
I conceive that we never could have been deprived of this, the 
crowning glory of the metropolis." Unfortunately for Mr. 
Thurston, perhaps, the town did sell it ; but his property be- 
came valuable, while that of the town was thrown away, and 
what should have been prized as a patriotic historical memorial, 
shamefully disregarded and sacrificed. No excuse or apology 
has ever been offered for the traitorous act. and we should be 
sure that it was an artful tory trick, were it not that it was 
done with so much deliberation and form, complicated by in- 
cluding the sale of several lots in one vote. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Plan of the town in 1728 ; Paul Revere 's engraving of the town and harbor ; 
View of the town from Dorchester ; Recollections of a merchant ; Recol- 
lections of Dr. Bowditch ; Alford Estate ; Daniel D. Rogers' and William 
Thurston's houses ; Recollections of General Oliver ; of John 0. Palfrey ; 
Use of the material of Trimountain ; the Hancock house and grounds ; 
Miss Gardner's Recollections ; the Eulogy on Gov. Bowdoin. 

IiN - a " Plan of Boston in New England," by Will Burgiss, 
dedicated to Gov. Burnet, in 1728, re-produced in 1869, Bea- 
con Hill is conspicuously shown, with the pole on its summit. 
The powder house and watch house are on the Common, and the 
earliest fortifications across the Neck, are represented. The 
small plan facing page 59 in this volume, is taken from this 
map, which is probably the earlist representation of the Beacon 
in any engraving extant. 

Beacon Hill and the Beacon, as well as Fort Hill, are rep- 
resented in Paul Reveres well known engraving entitled "Pros- 
pective View of the Town of Boston, the Capital of New Eng- 
land, and the Landing of Troops in the year 1708, [October]." 
The ships are lying at anchor in the harbor and boats are pas- 
sing from them to the shore with the troops. In this engraving 



100 RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 

thirteen steeples are delineated, and there were at this time 
eighteen places of public worship in the town. No opposition 
was made to the landing of the troops, and " the town was con- 
verted into a garrison." 

In a steel engraving representing a view of the town, taken 
from Dorchester Heights in 1774, in Lo3sing's Washington, the 
whole range of hills is presented, with the Beacon standing 
upon the northerly portion, a church steeple and one or two 
houses just appearing at the left of it. It does not appear 
to us to be a very accurate or reliable representation, either as 
regards the location of the town at this time, or the relative 
height and location of the hills. The English ships are seen in 
the harbor, and one of them appears to be in flames. 

Dr. Bowditch says, "an intelligent merchant of this city, who 
came here in 1787, a boy of 11 years, remembers that this 
monument was not then erected. There was at that time a 
stone basement on which rested four horizontal timbers, crossing 
each other in the centre. From the centre rose as high a mast 
as could be procured, which was further supported by braces. — 
It was surmounted by a tar barrel, which being set on fire, in 
case of danger, was to be a beacon to the country around. 
There was an apparatus of ladders for ascending to this tar bar- 
rel ; but fortunately, it was never found necessary to give this 
warning signal. The hill was of a very peculiar conical shape, 
and the boys were accustomed to throw their balls up as far as 
possible towards its summit, which rebounded from it as from a 
wall." * * 

"At my earliest recollection," says Dr. Bowditch, "the ap- 
pearance of the hill was this : A grassy hemisphere, so steep that 



RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 101 

we could with difficulty mount its sides, descending with a per- 
fectly regular curve to the streets on the south, west and north. 
Just opposite the end of Coolidge avenue on Dcrne street, there 
was a flight of steps, ten or fifteen in number, leading part way 
up the hill. Above that one had to climb the rest of the way 
by aid of the foot-holes that had been worn in the surface along 
a wide path worn bare by the feet, to the top, where there was 
also a space of some' 50 feet square, bare of sod. In the midst 
of this space stood the Monument. Descending by the south 
side, one followed a similar rough gravel path to another flight 
of steps, leading down to the level of Mount Vernon street, and 
terminating at about the position of the front of No. 13, Mount 
Vernon street, the first house of those facing south. The sport 
of batting the ball up hill and meeting it again on its descent, 
was played by some, but it was not so easy a game as one would 
at first suppose, on account of the difficulty of maintaining one's 
footing on the hill side, which was so steep as to require some 
skill even to stand erect on it. The appearance of the hill in 
winter I do not recollect, but I think it must have been general- 
ly bare of snow, from its elevated position, and I do not recol- 
lect having ever seen sleds used on it." 

A portion of Turner's estate fell into the hands of John Al- 
ford of Charlestown ; was afterwards sold to John Mollineux, in 
1760 ; was confiscated during war by the colony, and sold to 
Daniel Dennison Rogers. This estate fronted on Beacon and 
Bowdoin streets, and extended to the passage way (State House 
line) on the west, and ran as far north as the monument lot, 
(line of the Reservoir) and never belonged to the Hancock es- 
tate. The northern or higher portion of this lot, bounding on 



102 RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 

Bowdoin street and running back to the Monument lot, was 
sold to William Thurston, and his house was built in 1804. — 
Dr. Shurtleff says, "Not a few of the older inhabitants who 
were living at the commencement of the present century, re- 
member well the lofty mansion house of William Thurston, Esq. 
as it presented itself to the sight of all in the days of its mag- 
nificence, from its towering eminence just east of the monument; 
and many will never forget the same building, shorn of its pris- 
tine glory, standing upon the high precipice formed by the re- 
moval of the greater part of the soil of the same hill, overtop- 
ping the chimnies of the neighboring houses." 

" The house well remembered by so many, as standing in a 
similar condition as Mr. Thurston's, was the house of the late 
Daniel Dennison Rogers, and was situated on the estate just 
south of the present Beacon Hill Place. It was a large double 
house, and was built on the European plan, with a stable and 
wood house in front, and the main entrance approached from 
between these, over a long flight of stone steps which led to it 
and its famous front garden. Mrs. Elizabeth, widow of Mr. 
Rogers, died on the 5th of May, 1833, aged 69 years; and the 
estate was sold at auction in the subsequent June. The house 
was taken down soon after, and the present block built and oc- 
cupied in 1835." 

A gentleman,* familiar with the locality before the hill was 
dug down, writes to the author as follows : " Many a time, when 
a boy, have I played and raised my kite on this hill, and my 
recollection of its condition is very distinct. It then extended 
from Bowdoin street along the line of Mount Vernon street, to 

* General Henry K. Oliver, of Salem. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 103 

Hancock street, terminating in the rear of Jacob Kuhn's house, 
(who was known afterwards as the venerable sergeant-at-arms 
of the Massachusetts Legislature,) on Hancock street — that 
house then standing on a portion of the ground now cover- 
ed by the Cochituate Reservoir. Derne street was on its north- 
erly side and Mount Vernon street on its southerly side, both 
streets being really excavations into the original hill. It was 
partially dug down in 1S08-9, and the material used in part in 
forming Charles street. I remember the old chap who jobbed 
and bossed the work, and how savagely we boys regarded him 
as the destroyer of our hill of fun and look out. The access to 
the hill from Mount Vernon street, was through a turn-stile, up 
two flights of steps, terminating at a block of two brick houses, 
owned by a Mr. Thurston, a lawyer, passing by which you 
might descend by the other steps to Derne street, through an- 
other turn-stile — opposite the then head of Temple street. — 
The digging down of the hill opened Temple street to Mount 
Vernon, but the street was not formally laid out until 1824, by 
the city. The Monument stood on the highest point of the 
hill, to the westward of Mr. Thurston's houses." 

Another gentleman* who lived in the vicinity when a young 
man, writes : "My father broke up his house in Middlecot street, 
now Bowdoin, in 1803. I remember Temple street, parallel to 
it, as having across its upper end a flight of say from twelve to 
twenty steps, which at the foot of Beacon Hill, relieved the 
steep ascent. From there the visitor kept up to the top of the 
hill, over a surface which might sometimes have been green, 



* Honorable John G. Palfrey, of Cambridge. 



104 RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 

but which I remember as bare and without grass, like that part 
of the Common where the games of ball take place. At the 
top stood the square monument, of brick, I }hink, with inscrib- 
ed slabs of slate let into its sides. * * One of my first vol- 
untary exercises in reading was employed on these commemo- 
rative tablets." The good effect of the lesson, it is not improb- 
able, may be seen in the later efforts of the writer, in his admi- 
rable history of New England. 



The material of Beacon Hill and its spurs, long before the 
time of Hodson's digging (1764) was used in and around Oli- 
ver's dock and probably the Creek, and very likely in building 
the barricade in the harbor, (nearly on the line of Atlantic Av- 
enue) ; then much later, to some extent, in Franklin street, 
and Charles street ; in the Broad street improvement, filling up 
between Batterymarch and State street, in 1805-6 and probably 
later ; then in 1804 and later, in filling the Mill Pond, and a 
portion of it Avas used to cover the road over the Milldam, in 
1820 ; and finally Gardner Greene's estate and other estates 
on Pemberton Hill- were dug down to fill up Charles River for 
the Lowell railroad depot and freight houses. Anne Pollard, 
who died December 6, 1725. aged 105 years, used to say that 
she came over in the first boat that crossed Charles river, in 
1630 ; that she was the first to jump ashore (she could only 
have been between five and six years old) ; and she described 
the place as being very uneven, abounding in small hollows and 
swamps, and covered with blueberry and other bushes. 

The Hancock House — the legislature having refused to pur- 
chase the estate as recommended by a committee, in February, 



RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACON HILL. 105 

1859 — was sold and taken down in 1863, when the houses 
which now occupy the lot were built. 

Miss Gardner, of Leominster. Mass.. in 1862, then in her 
sixty-sixth year, a grand neice of Governor Hancock's wife, 
said, that when she was ten or eleven years of age, she 
spent a year with her great aunt. After defining the house lot, 
she says, " the remainder was a splendid garden, with a sum- 
mer house in the rear. It was laid out in ornamental flower 
beds enclosed in box, with a great many box trees, quite large, 
and with a great variety of fruit trees ; there were also several 
immense mulberry trees, all of which, I think, remained until 
his widow left it." "Going in at the front gate, there were 
twelve stone steps, wide and long, with large box trees on each 
side ; then enter the front door, go through the hall which led 
to the garden, up as many more steps to the small summer 
house on Mount Vernon street." 

In November, 1700, at the funeral ceremonies of the Hon. 
James Bowdoin, ' : Capt. Johnson's Artillery was paraded on 
Beacon Hill and discharged minute guns during the solemni- 

o o o 

ties." On the 11th of March following, an eulogy was pro- 
nounced on Governor Bowdoin, as president of the Academy 
of Arts and Sciences, in the Brattle square church, by the 
Hon. John Lowell. At this time a collection was taken up in 
aid of Messrs. Jennings and Wheeler, who were wounded while 
performing military services at the funeral. Upwards of X40 
were collected. 



HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

The peninsula as an Indian resort ; Discovery of skulls ; Cook's pasture ; the 
Bowdoin estate ; Ropewalks on Haneock street ; Winthrop's " govern- 
mental tent ;" Views from the summit of the hill ; the Copley estate ; 
Millpond corporation ; Digging down the hill ; Preservation of tbe Tab- 
lets and the Eagle ; Improvements on the hill and streets. 

It is thought probable that Beacon Hill, in the early days of 
the settlement, was more wooded than is shown in the drawing 
of it as seen from Charlestown, and some writers think it must 
have been distinguished as a spot where the leading men of the 
native tribes assembled in council. This may or may not be 
so : there were undoubtedly many Indians on the peninsula and 
they claimed to own it, as Blackstone did, and in point of fact 
each of them sold it to the settlers, and after that it was claim- 
ed as belonging to the king, when the charter was taken away. 
There was a tribe of Indians at Charlestown, (or Medford), 
called Aberginians, under John Sagamore ; but no particular 
tribe is mentioned as occupying Shawmut. The Indians were 
never regarded as of much importance at Boston, and were 
always well disposed towards the settlers. It may have been 
that they were numerous on the peninsula before the settle- 



HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 107 

ment, and this is by some supposed to have been the case. 
The idea may have been suggested or supported by a statement 
made by Dr. Mather, of the discovery of a Golgotha, or place 
of skulls, on a spur of Beacon Hill : 

"As a proof of its having been an ancient populous Indian 
settlement, tradition says there was discovered a kind of Golgo- 
tha, on the spot where Gardner Greene's house stands, [now 
Pemberton Square,] on the side of the hill. Dr. Mather re- 
lates that three hundred skull bones had been dug up there 
when he was a youth." [Shaw's Descrip. of Boston, p. 78. 

Cook's pasture, on Beacon Hill, extended westerly to a line 
77 feet west of Belknap street, and easterly to a line 19 feet 
east of Hancock street. On the north it reached to the pasture 
of Scottow and Buttolph, (that is, Myrtle street,) and on the 
south to the estates fronting on the Common. Cook died in 
1671, and the land became the property of his son, who died in 
1715. and his son, Elisha, sold part of the property in 1721, 
and extended what is now Hancock street, through his pasture. 
Part of this land was conveyed by some of the heirs to Gover- 
nor Hancock, in 1765. 

The Bowdoin estate was purchased of John Irving, in 1756. 
and he bought another lot of Dr. Bulfmch, in 1772. His son 
afterwards purchased a portion of the Rogers estate. 

In 1763, there were three ropewalks west of Hancock street 
forming a barrier between Belknap street and Clapboard street, 
(now Belknap), to Beacon street. Cook owned two of these, 
44 feet on Hancock street, running west about 270 feet. They 
bounded north on Myrtle street. The ropewalk east of Han- 



108 HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 

cock street was bought by the Commonwealth. It was after- 
wards used for the residence of the Messenger of the State 
House, (Jacob Kuhn) as late as 1827. The estate is now cov- 
ered by the Reservoir. 

<; The summit of Beacon Hill throws the delighted view upon 
a large extent of country, and carries the eye widely over the 
waters which fondly wash its feet. * * * It was there on 
the southern verge of thy free base, Oh ! happy Beacon, that 
the great, the virtuous Winthrop, in quest of freedom, spread 
his governmental tent." [Ind. Chron. Dec. 1790. 

Mrs. Morton, in her poem entitled Beacon Hill, in speaking 
of the splendid views from the summit, refers to the fighting 
on the 19th of April, and the battle of the 17th of June, as 

follows : — 

•' Witness yon tract, where first the Briton bled ! 
Driven by our youth, redoubted Percy fled ; 
There Breed ascends, and Bunker's bleeding steeps, 
Still o'er whose brow abortive victory weeps." 

■ Copley, who married the daughter of Richard Clarke, one of 
the consignees of the tea which was destroyed in the harbor, had 
his residence on Beacon street, on or very near the Sears estate, 
now the Somerset Club House. The estate extended from Wal- 
nut street to the water,, and over Chestnut and Mount Vernon 
streets, and included West Hill. 

In 1804-5, the Boston Millpond Corporation obtained from 
the town permission to use the gravel from Beacon Hill to fill 
up their millpond ; but in July, 1807, another agreement was 
made with the corporation by which the town was to have 
one-eighth of the lots which might be filled up within twenty 



HISTORICAL MEMORANDA. 109 

years. As there were about fifty acres filled, (about one-twelfth 
of the whole peninsula) the town's share would be at least five 
or six acres, which at this time would be a very valuable 
property. 

Although the great digging on the west side commenced in 
1811, it was not until the 29th day of July. 1824, that Tem- 
ple street was laid out. This occurrence has led many to think 
that the monument could not have been removed as early as 
1811, while others insist that it was taken down several years 
sooner. But it is well known that it was standing in its lot in 
the spring of 1811, and that it was not there in November of 
the same year. [Shurtleff. 

When the monument was taken down to make room for im- 
provements, the tablets were placed in a back passage way of the 
State House, and the gilded eagle was placed over the entrance 
door of the Doric Hall. About 1850, the Eagle was removed 
to the Representatives' Hall and suspended above the Speaker's 
chair, where it at present remains. Ten years later, by an or- 
der of the legislature, the tablets were placed in the easterly 
wall of the Doric Hall, near the stairs leading to the Senate 
Chamber. 

In 1804. the houses on the corner of Park and Beacon streets 
were built. " Pinckney street, Hancock street. Myrtle street 
and the whole extent of Mount Vernon, which in 1799, pre- 
sented a repulsive, dreary waste, on which only three decent 
houses were to be seen, were soon crowned with extensive ranges 
of handsome and fashionable blocks of dwelling houses," and 
itsoon became "the court end" of the town. 



REBUILDING OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Interest attached to the Monument and the hill ; Commencement of the dig- 
ging upon the range ; The hill dug away and streets laid out ; Should 
not the Monument be rebuilt ? Considerations on the subject ; Action of 
the Bunker Hill Monument Association ; Petition to the Legislature ; Act 
authorizing the Association to rebuild the Monument ; Its acceptance by 
the Association ; Conclusion. 

The Beacon Hill Column, including the Eagle which sur- 
mounted it, and which was for the first time conspicuously dis- 
played as the adopted emblem of the country, was about sixty 
feet in height. Its highest point, therefore, was one hundred 
and ninety-eight feet above tide water — almost precisely the 
height of the dome of the State House. More conspicuous than 
the ancient beacon, it was an object of peculiar interest to the 
people, and from the renowned hill upon which it stood, would 
have been an attractive object to the citizen and stranger. It 
marked as well the public spirit as the patriotism of the people 
of Boston. It did more than this : it recorded the rise and pro- 
gress of the revolution — so much of which it overlooked — and 
was the work of the living patriots who controlled it. 

Such a memorial should have been respected for the cause it 
so conspicuously and faithfully represented ; but the hill was 



Beacon Mill ™th beacon, j 722. 




REBUILDING OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. Ill 

doomed long before the monument was built, and even that 
could not save it. Its material, we suppose, and in fact have 
already shown, was absolutely required for the growth and pros- 
perity of the town, and must sooner or later have been used for 
the purpose of filling up its water spaces and enlarging its terri- 
tory. Not long after the Monument was built, and a few years 
later when the State House was erected, the range was continu- 
ally encroached upon ; it was the gravel bed of the town, and 
had been attacked on all sides and at all times, for all the pur- 
poses for which its material was required. The streets laid out 
by the town were abruptly terminated upon its steep sides ; and 
soon the renowned hill had no longer any claims to preservation 
or regard, excepting its history and its Monument, which failed 
to save it. 

After what has been said in these pages, the question may 
very earnestly be asked whether this early memorial which was 
erected by the fathers of the revolutionary war, should not be 
rebuilt ; whether it is not a measure of patriotism and grati- 
tude due to their memory to restore their work ; and even more 
than this, whether it is not imperatively necessary to the just 
historical fame of the city 

The evident intention of the citizens of Boston, who had lived 
through the war, in the erection of the monument, was to hand 
down to posterity by a visible memorial, the remembrance of the 
oppressions, the struggles and the sacrifices of their ancestors, 
that they might t: not forget those who by their exertions had 
secured to them those blessings'' which they now enjoy. In 
this they have been disappointed ; the beautiful column which 
they erected, and thus inscribed, in the march of improvement, 
has been ruthlessly swept away ; and it is merely a piece of 



112 REBUILDING OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. 

good fortune that the tablets, historical as well as monitory, 
have been preserved for our perusal. 

Upon this simple statement, it would seem, the argument in 
favor of a reconstruction of the work, in some conspicuous spot 
beyond the reach of future improvements, is mainly set forth. 
That which the patriotic " Citizens of Boston," who had felt 
the power of the oppressor and witnessed the firmness of the 
people, did "To commemorate that train of events which led to 
the American Revolution and finally secured Liberty and Inde- 
pendence to the United States." has been undone by the com- 
munity in whose charge it was left to be preserved. Can there 
be any room to doubt as to the duty of the present generation, 
on these premises ? As a matter of pride ; as an evidence of 
gratitude ; as a patriotic impulse ; as a matter of highly inter- 
esting local history ; as a simple duty of self respect, the right 
course seems to be both plain and certain. If the fathers who 
felt the burdens of the time, suffered its deprivations and gen- 
erously met its demands, could project and complete such a 
patriotic purpose, at their own cost, can the sons who enjoy the 
blessings which they secured, and have been only too unfaithful 
to the trust reposed in them, neglect any longer to restore this 
memorial, and thereby give a new evidence of their confidence 
in the government which their ancestors founded ? 

There is now an opportunity to accomplish this object, should 
it be deemed desirable to do so, and there can hardly be a 
period of time in our history when it would be more in accord- 
ance with the sentiments of the time and the feelings of the 
people, than the present. The measure was suggested some 
years ago, at the time of the inauguration of the Franklin 



RFBUILUING OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. 113 

statue,* and again by a committee of the Monument Associa- 
tion.! In 1864, the subject was brought to the notice of that 
association and a committee appointed to consider the subject. 
The next year the committee made a report, in which they say, 
" so far as they have been able to ascertain public opinion on 
the subject, there is a general conviction that the early monu- 
ment of the fathers of the Revolution should be restored, and a 
desire that this association should undertake the service." Im- 
pressed with this view, the committee determined to apply to 
the legislature of the Commonwealth for an act giving authori- 
ty to the association for the purpose, and presented the following 
petition : — 

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts : 

The undersigned, a Committee appointed by the Bunker Hill 
Monument Association, on the 17th of June, 1864, respectfully 
represent — 

That the " Citizens of Boston," by a voluntary contribution, 
in the year 1790, caused to be erected on Beacon Hill, in the 
town of Boston, a few rods north of the present State House, a 
public Monument, intended to commemorate " that train of 
events which led to the American Revolution, and finally secur- 
ed Liberty and Independence to the United States." That 
about the year 1811, said Beacon Hill was dug away and grad- 
ually reduced to its present level, and said Monument taken 
down and destroyed, thus wholly defeating the design and pat- 
riotic purpose of the Citizens of Boston in its erection. That 



*Oration of Hon. Robert C. Winthrop. 

t Memoir of Solomon Willard. 



114 REBUILDING OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. 

the tablets or inscriptions, placed in the pedestal of said Monu- 
ment, being of stone, were preserved and are now deposited in 
the Doric Hall of the State House, in condition to be used in 
the re-erection of said Monument, should the necessary author- 
ity be given for that purpose. 

And your memorialists would further represent that they are 
directed to report to said Association upon the subject of re- 
building said Monument on some suitable site in the city of 
Boston, in order that the original purpose of its citizens may be 
accomplished, and this early patriotic memorial of the revolu- 
tion and its results, be again placed before the people that they 
may not forget ' : those who by their exertions secured" to them 
the blessings they enjoy. 

The undersigned, therefore, in behalf of the association they 
represent, respectfully ask your Honorable Bodies to pass at 
your present session, such a law as may be necessary to author- 
ize said Bunker Hill Monument Association to rebuild the said 
Beacon Hill Monument, on some spot which may be deemed 
suitable for the purpose in the city of Boston, with the consent 
of its authorities, and to take and receive said tablets or inscrip- 
tions of the original structure, now in the keeping of the Com- 
monwealth, whenever they shall be desirous of using the same 
for the purpose herein stated. 

William W. Wheildon, 
Robert C. Winthrop, 
Frederic W. Lincoln, Jr., 
J. Huntington Wolcott, 
Winslow Lewis. 
Boston, February 22, 1865. 
In compliance with the purpose of this petition, a hearing 



REBUILDING OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. 115 

was had before a committee of the legislature and the following 
act was passed and approved : 

An Act in addition to an act to incorporate the Bun- 
ker Hill Monument Association. 

Be it enacted, $*c, That the Bunker Hill Monument Asso- 
ciation be and they hereby are authorized on some suitable site 
to be selected and provided by them, to rebuild the Beacon Hill 
Monument, which was originally built by the citizens of Bos- 
ton, in 1790, to commemorate the causes and results of the 
American Revolution, and to take such measures as may be ne- 
cessary to effect this object. Provided, That said Association 
shall not be authorized to build said monument on any land be- 
longing to the city of Boston, without the consent of its author- 
ities first obtained. 

Section 2. That for the purpose expressed in the foregoing 
section the said Bunker Hill Monument Association are hereby 
authorized to take and receive the Four Tablets, or inscriptions, 
formerly composing a part of said Beacon Hill Monument and 
now in the Doric Hall of the State House — and the Secretary 
and Treasurer of the Commonwealth are hereby authorized to 
deliver the same to said association, their committee, or agent, 
whenever they are satisfied that said Tablets are to be used in 
the rebuilding of said monument and required for that purpose. 



In 1865, with the report of the Committee, the foregoing act 
was submitted for the consideration of the Association, where- 
upon it was voted, that the "act be accepted by the corpora- 
tion and the Committee continued." 

In 1873, the Committee made a further report on the sub- 
ject, accompanied by a historical monograph of Sentry or Bea- 
con Hill, its Beacon and Monument, which, having been con- 
siderably enlarged, is herewith printed. 



116 REBUILDINCx OF THE MONUMENT PROPOSED. 

CONCLUSION. 

It remains now for the Monument Association, as a purely 
patriotic organization, to adopt means for the rebuilding of the 
Beacon Hill Monument, which they alone are authorised to do. 
The measure has the sanction of the government of the Com- 
monwealth, and the authority necessary for undertaking the 
work has been accepted by the association. It does not seem 
necessary to repeat the views and opinions already expressed on 
the subject, in view of these preliminaries. The whole argu- 
ment is contained in the simple statement of the purpose of the 
monument, who built it, what became of it, and the present 
duty in regard to it. Nor could the work be placed in hands 
more likely to appreciate the patriotic purpose : the monument 
association, it is well known, includes among its members a 
large representation of the intelligent and public spirited citi- 
zens of the Commonwealth, and is supposed to represent the 
sentiment of the community in questions of this kind. In their 
hands the subject of rebuilding the monument is placed ; and 
its successful accomplishment, we feel well assured, would be 
extremely gratifying to the people and honorable to the associ- 
ation. In any event, whatever may be the result of the sug- 
gestion, the Committee will feel that they have possibly rescued 
some portions of history from oblivion and at least done some- 
thing to perpetuate the remembrance, now almost forgotten, of 
the renowned hill, its ancient Beacon and its patriotic Memorial 
of the Revolution and the Independence of the country. 



PUBLISHED BY LEE & SHEPA.RD, 
Franklin-street — Boston. 

[Reprinted from the Boston Daily Ilerald.] 

NEW HISTORY of THE BATTLE of BUNKER 
HILL, Juno 17, 1775. It3 Purpose, Conduct and Re- 
sult. By William W. Wheildon. Price 50 cents. 

l£j*Sent post paid by mill on receipt of price. =Q5 



NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 



" Best review of the doings of June 17." 
Messrs Lee & Shepard send us a neat volume containing a his- 
tory of the battle of Bunker Hill, its purposes, conduct aud result, 
by William W. Wheildon, which is compiled from various sources 
and is on the whole the best review of the doings of June 17, 
1775, wc have seen. (Telegraph, Gloucester, Mass. 

" The result of long and careful study." " Bird's eye view 
of the phases of the Battle." 
Mr. Wheildon has written a new History of the Battle of Bun- 
ker Hill : its purpose, conduct and result. This pamphlet of 56 
pages is evidently the result of long and careful study and con- 
scientiously strives to harmonize the conflicting accounts of the 
battle. It is clearly written, and its narrative of the purpose, 
the preparation, the movements, and the results of the battle, so 
presents the struggle that the reader gains as it were a bird's eye 
view of its phases. The author suggests that the theory of two 
independent engagements, one under Putnam and the other under 
Prescott, may be the means of doing justice to the two prominent 
actors, whose claims to have been the commauder in chi.f have 
been so hotly contested. (Christian Era, Aug. 5. 

" It is a Gem" and "ought to be in every family." 
Messrs. Lee & Shepard, Boston, deserve thanks for issuing in 
cheap but neat form, a " New History of the Battle of Bunker 
Hill," by William W. Wheildon. It is a concise, clear and vivid 
picture of that remarkable contest ; the causes which led to it, 
the interests at stake in it, the details of it, and the results. The 
work costs but a trifle, but it is a gem. and ought to be in every 
family. [Contributor, Boston, Sept. '75. 



± BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 

" Fascinating as any Story lately told." 
Lee & Shcpaid make their contribution to the literature of the 
centennial in the shape of a " New History of the Battle of Bun- 
ker Hill." It is prepared by William W. Whcildon, and aims to 
show the purposes, conduct and results of the memorable fight. — 
As a piece of history it seems to be accurate, and is as fascinat- 
ing as any story that has lately been told. [Morning Star. 

" No American should be without it." 

New History of the Battle of Bunker Hill, its purpose, conduct 
and result, by William W. Whcildon. A clear, concise story of 
the battle is here given. No American should be without it. — 
[Patriot, Barnstable, Mass. August 31. 

" The partizans of Prescott and Putnam should be satisfied 
with Mr. Wheildon's adjustment of their claims." 

William W. Wheildon's "New History of the Battle of Bunker 
Hill," has reached a second editiou. It is cleverly arranged and 
furnishes a good deal of information not embraced in the other 
histories we have already noticed. The partizans of Prescott and 
of Putnam respectively should be satisfied with Mr. Wheildon's 
adjustment of their rival claims ; no one man commanded at Buu- 
ker Hill, but it may be regarded as a double fight under the two 
commanders just mentioned. [The Nation, July 22. 

" No future history of the event will be complete without a 
consideration of Mr. Wheildon's opinion ." 

Wm. W. Whcildon has prepared a " New History of the Battle 
of Bunker Hill," published in pamphlet form by Lee & Shepard. 
He gives some new views of the purpose, conduct and results of 
that important action, and no future history of the event will be 
complete without a consideration of Mr. Wheildon's opinions. — 
[Transcript, Portland, Me. 

" Vivid description of the conduct of the Battle." 
William W. Wheildon's "New History of the Battle of Bunker 
Hill," has been neatly reprinted in a revised and enlarged form. 
It is a vivid description of the conduct of the battle, with its 
purpose and result. (New Haven Palladium, Sept. 4. 



NOTICES OF THE TRESS. 6 

u An important addition to the Centennial literature" 

Lee & Shoparl of Boston, hava published iu pamphlet form, a 
" New History of the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775 — Its 
Purpose, Conduct and Results." It is by William W. Whcildon, 
and will be considered an important addition to the centennial lit- 
erature. The author gives the miuute details of the battle, in- 
cluding many facts not generally known. (Gazette, Greenfield. 

"None of the Revolutionary historians have attempted.''' 
A new History of the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought June 17th, 
1775, embracing comments upon its purpose, its conduct and 
results, by William W. Whcildon, is challenging a good deal 
of attention from critics and the reading public, as it sets forth 
this very important event in our history, in a manner which none 
of the several Revolutionary historians have attempted. As the 
great incident of that terrible conflict, it deserves special record, 
which it has received at the hands of that very forcible writer and 
accurate compiler, Mr. Whcildon. (Times, Scrautou, Pa. 

" That famous fight is made to assume an importance the 
late Centennial did not endow it with." 
Lee & Shepard publish a new History of the battle of Bunker 
Hill, by William W. Whcildon, in which that famous fight is made 
to assume an importance that even the late centennial did not 
endow it with. Mr. Whcildon considers it the first step at organ- 
ized resistance against the home government, the skirmishes at 
Lexington and Concord being little more than merely riotous dem- 
onstrations, and thinks that like Caesar's crossing the Rubicon, it 
was the final and irrevocable act which separated the old order of 
things, when love for the mother country predominated, from the 
new, when Independence became the leading thought of all. — 
(News, Denver, Col. Aug. 23. 

"Deserves a place in Libraries of American History. ." 
Lee & Shepard publish and have for sale a new history of the 
battle of Bunker Hill, " Its purpose, conduct and results," by 
William W. Whcildon. It seems to be one of the best arranged 
and most exhaustive of the many accounts that have been given 
this year, and deserves a place in libraries of American History. 
— (Boston Post, August 27. 



4 BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 

"More minute, definite, and evidently authentic, than wi 
have ever seen in any single volume." 

New History of the B ittfe of Bunker Hill, its purpose, conduct 
and result, is a pamphlet of fifty-six pages, which contains more 
minute, definite, and evidently authentic information in regard to 
its subject, than we have ever seen in any single volume. We 
could almost believe that the author was " influenced," to use a 

spiritualistic terra, by the spirit of a participant in the fight. 

(Herald, Newburyport, August 23. 

" The point emphasized" 

A new History t of the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, its 
Purpose, conduct and result, by William W. Wheildon, Boston. 
The point emphasized is, that the battle was deliberately for the 
purpose of driving General Gage and the British from Boston and 
the colony. A Map of Boston at that period adds greatly to the 
value of the pamphlet. (Liberal Christian, July 31. 

" Valuable to file away after carefid perusal." 

A new his of the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17th, 1775. 
Its purpose, conduct and result. Boston, Lee & Shepard, publish- 
ers. A timely and interesting publication, containing a great deal 
of information this subject. As a memento of the recent cen- 
tennial, it is valuable to file away after careful perusal, for future 
reference and consultation. (Standard, Bridgeport, Aug. 19. 

A creditable place in the bibliography of that event. 
Mr. Wheildon's monograph, entitled "new History of the battle 
of Bunker Hill — its purpose, conduct and result," should have a 
place, and a creditable one, in the bibliography of that event. 

It makes a handsome pamphlet of 56 pages, (Lee & Shepard, 

publishers), in which all the main points of interest — those about 
which historians arc agreed and those which are still controverted 
— are treated with intelligence and candor. (Daily Advertiser. 

It treats of the purpose, conduct and result of that memorable 
engagement in a spirit of intelligence and candor, and it deserves 
a creditable place in the bibliography of that event. (Courier. 



NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 5 

"So that one can see at a glance just what ivas transpirin<* 
at a given hoar.'" 

A "new History of the battle of Bunker Hill,' by William W. 
Wheildon. This author has already made his mark as a writer of 
several scientific works upon the Arctic Begions, et.\, and the sci- 
entific tendencies of his mind express t'icmsi Ives in this pamphlet 
by a systematic order of n. rration, covering the time immediately 
preceding the battle and closing with the change of military and 
social status which it effected. This plan is elaborately mapped 
out in a list of topics and further developed by an approximate di- 
vision of time so that one can sec at a glance just what was trans- 
piring at a given hour. Tlic book includ s an ai cient map of Bos- 
ton and Bunker Hill, exhibiting the distribution of forces and 
marking old street lines and objects of interest. (Ncwsgatherer. 

" It is a valuable contribution to the discussion which has 
arisen respecting the memorable contest, 

And contains many points of interest. The author speaks of the 
battle not altogether as generally described and regarded, but in its 
connection .... with the true history of times — from the 18th 
day of April, when there was peace, to the ISth day of June, when 
there was war." He argues that there were two distinct engage- 
ments — the one at the redoubt and the other at the rail-fence — 
and thinks that the controversy about the command can be set- 
tled, without injustice to partizan claims, by assuming that Prcs- 
cott commanded at the redoubt and Putnam at the rail-fence, nei- 
ther receiving orders from the other. A rare map, of ancient date, 
accompanies the work, which deserves a promiuent place in histor- 
ical collections. (Essex Kcgistcr. 

" Being fresh and original" " it is well worth perusal in 
this Centennial era." 

The new History of the Battle of Bunker Hill, is a description 
of this historic fight from a point of view not generally entertain- 
ed, its descriptions being fresh and original, and the connection of 
the event with the times being clearly explained, It is well 
worth perusal in this centennial era, although the day of celebra- 
tion is itself passed. (Banner of Light. 



BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 

" There were two independent engagements.' 1 ' 1 

Here comes upon the scene Mr. Wheildon, long an editor in 
the town anil thoroughly familiar with the localities of the strife, 
and who has proved his competence to discuss the subject by other 
labors of the pen. ... He begins with the purpose of the battle, 
gives a resume of precedent history, describes the preparation for 
the contest, and then the movements thereof. Especially does he 
endeavor to harmonize the accounts of the struggle. 

On the question of who was commander-in-chief, the author's 
idea is very clear that, unless Putnam commanded, there were two 
engagements ; inasmuch as he thinks it very clear that Prcscott 
did not command anywhere but in the redoubt. He indeed sug- 
gests the theory of two independent engagements, as possibly the 
means of doing justice to all the promiuent patriots in the field. 
(Boston CoDgrcgationalist. 

" The story of the great day is graphically told, upon a dif- 
ferent plan from any other of the many accounts." 

Messrs. Lee & Shepard have published in a finely printed pam- 
phlet, Mr. Wheildon's new History of the battle of Bunker Hill. 
The story of the great day is graphically told and the manner of 
treatment of the events of a hundred years ago is upon a different 
plan from any other of the many accounts of the battle. The 
pamphlet is a reprint, revised and enlarged from the account re- 
cently published, which attracted much attention. (Traveller. 



OTHER WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 

Memoir of Solomon Willard, with a history of Bunker 

Hill Monument, with engravings. 8vo. pp. 288. Price $2. 
" A just tribute to the life and character of the architect ; a true and com- 
prehensive history of the monument." — "There is more sound philosophy in 
such a memoir than in the lives of a score of soldiers or politicians." 

Contributions to Thought. 

12mo. pp. 23G. 1875. Price $1.50. 
Opinions of the Press : " Its contents justifies the title." — "Thoughtful 
discussions they are." — " Pleasant to read, and is a contribution of good sense 
and good advice." — " The volume is a real contribution to thought." 



HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 7 

Young Folk's History of the United States. By Tho- 
mas Wentworth Higginson. Designed for Home Reading and 
the Use of Schools. Sq. lGrao. 360 pages; with more than 100 
illustrations. Price, Sl.oO. 

"After reading this book, and compariug it with the school his- 
tories to whose perusal American youth have been heretofore limit- 
ed, we no longer wonder that they have been reproached with igno- 
rance of history. For the first time a man of genius has told 
the story of our country's gro"\ytii — not a professional book-ma- 
ker, thinking of his copy-right, but a man of culture, who knows 
both history and human nature too : knows what is the pleasant 
6ide of knowledge, and how to hold it up to eager gazers. We 
trust that this admirable history — admirable not only as a liter- 
ary composition, but as a pleasant and safe guide for the young 
to a knowledge of our uational career — will open the eyes of ed- 
ucators and the public to the fact that the preparation of text- 
books for the instruction of the young is too weighty and solemn 
a task to be entrusted to mere compilers, who put neither heart 
nor brains into their work. (Literary World. 

" Compact, clear and accurate. . . . This unpretending 
little book is the best history of the United States we have 
seen." (Nation. 

" The book is so written that every child old enough to read his- 
tory at all will understand and like it, and persons of the fullest 
information and purest taste will admire it." (Boston Daily Adv. 

" It is marvellous to note how happily Mr. Higginson, in se- 
curing compactness b\ his condensations, has avoided alike super- 
ficiality and dulness." (Boston Transcript. 

" Mr. Higginson was well qualified to write such a work ; he 
has long been occupied with studies in American history, and he 
is a genial, painstaking, accurate and picturesque writer, with a 
high conception of the work he had to do." (Sp'gfield Rcpub. 

"The theory of the book can be briefly stated: It is that Am. 
history is one of the most attractive of all subjects, and may be 
made still more so to old and young when presented in a simple, 
clear, graphic way." (Public Preface. 

Sold by all booksellers and sent by mail on receipt of price, 
by LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 



8 CENTENNIAL BOOKS. 

BOOKS FOR THE TIMES. 
The Sa^es and Heroes of the American Revolution — 

o 
Including the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, 
Two huudred and forty-three of the Sages and Heroes are pre- 
sented in due form, and others named incidentally. By Car- 
roll L. Judson. 8vo. cloth, with numerous steel portraits. — 
480 pp. $2.50. 

Pictorial History of the American Revolution. 

With upwards of 200 engravings. 1 vol. 8vo. New Edi- 
tion. 433 pp. $2.50. 

American Authors. 

By Francis H. Underwood, A. M. Crown 8vo., cloth, 640 
pp., 82.50 ; half morocco, $4.50 ; full morocco, $6 ; full 
calf, $6.00. 

Noble Deeds of American Women. 

Bv J. Clement. With an Introduction by Mrs. Sigourney. 
'l2mo., illustrated, 480 pp., $1.50. 

CENTENNIAL SERIES. 

Eminent Statesmen. 

The Young American's Library of Eminent Statesmen. — 
Uniform with "Famous Generals." 6 V0I9. 12mo., hand- 
somely illustrated, in neat box. New edition. Per vol- 
ume, $1.25. 

Life of Benj. Franklin. 
•■ Daniel Webster. 
" William Penn. 
" Henry Clay, 

Daring deeds of the American Revolution. 
Noble deeds of our Forefathers. 

Famous Generals. 

The Young American's Library of Famous Generals. A 
useful and attractive series of books for boys. 6 vols. 12mo. 
handsomely illustrated, in neat box. Per vol. $1.25. 
Life of General Washington. 
" General Taylor. 
" General Jackson. 
" General Lafayette. 
" General Marion. 
" Napoleon Bonaparte. 

Sold by all booksellers and sent by mail on receipt of price, 
by LEE k SHEPARD, Publishers. 



PUBLICATIONS BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 



New History of the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 

17, 1775, Its Purpose, Conduct, and Result. By WuxiAM W. 
Wiikildon. 8vo. ppi 58. Price, 50 cents. 

Xiitu'es of the Press. 
i "The result of Jong and. careful stud) ; bird's-eye view of the phases of the battle.'' 
" It is a gem. and ought to be in ivery family." "VasCiuating as any tale lately told." 
" The partisans of I'rescott and Putnam should be satisfied with Mr. Wheildon's adjust- 
ment of their claims." " No future history of the event will be complete without a con- 
sideration of Mr. Wheildon's opinions." "An important addition to centennial literature." 
" Is challenging a good deal of attention from critics and th«- reading public, as it sets forth 
this very important event in our history in a manlier which none of the several Revolu- 
tionary historians have attempted." " That famous fight is made to assume an Importance 
the late Centennial did not endow it with." "Deserves a place in libraries of American 
history." " More minute, definite, and evidently authentic, than we have ever seen in any 
Single volume." "So that one can see at a glance ju.-t what was transpiring at a given 
hour.'' "There were two independent engagements." "The story of the great day is 
graphically told, upon a different plan, from any other of the many accounts." 

Memoir Of Solomon WiUard, Architect and Superintend- 
ent of the Bunker Hill Monument. Bv William W. Wiieildon. 
8vo. With plates, pp. 288. 1855. Price, $2.00. 

"In your complete vindication of the true merits of Solomon Willard, you have given 
to mankind the best history of the most sublime pillar of testimony now standing in illus- 
tration and commemoration of human rights." — From Dr. Abraham R. Thompson. 

" Your book, in my humble opinion, is a just tribute to the life and character of the 
architect: in so doing you have given ns a true and comprehensive history of the monu- 
ment itself."— From the late Thomas Hooper. 

" I duly received your biography of Willard, and confess to mv gratified surprise that 
vou were able to throw so much interest into the uneventful life of a private citizen. 
There is more sound philosophy in such a memoir than in the lives of a score of soldiers 
or politicians ; and I, for one, thank you for producing it." — From Ex-Gov. Wushlmrx. 

V I have been specially gratified for the judgment shown in your arrangement, and by 
the taste which controlled your citations. In this way you have, without pedantry or os- 
tentation, thrown around the great monument of America the proper historic wreath, and 
blended with it memorial chaplets of Webster and Everett." — From Gov, A- H. Jlullock. 

"it has given me much pleasure and instruction, and seems, both in its literary and 
typographical execution, to be a most fit and satisfactory record of the builders and the 
building of the great monument. It will be read with trreater interest live hundred years 
hence than now." — From Pres. Walker of Harvard College. 

Contributions to Thought. By William W. Whkildon, 
Fellow of the. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 
12mo. pp. 236. 1875. Price, $1.00. 

"The author entitles the volume Contributions to Thought; and its contents jus- 
tify the title. The essays, longer or shorter, are full of polished writing, expressive of 
earnest thought and studious "pursuits. The volume cannot be read without affording 
more than usual pleasure to a thoughtful reader." — Boston Traveller. 

" Thoughtful discussions they are, and interesting as the results of the reflections of a 
long and busv life spent in eareful observation, and earnest attention to the incidents and 
interests of the times." — Boston Daily Advertiser. 

" Mr. Wheildon's book is pleasant to read, and is a contribution of ?ood sense and 
good advice, if not of new infi >rination, or of original thought. We tVust that a second 
edition will be called for." — Christian Register. 

" The volume is a real contribution to thought. . . . Whether we consider his dis- 
cussions of the diverse theme* of 'Material Progress, the Theorv of Life, the Open Polar 
Sea, or the Coming Woman, we find him perfectly clear and logical, and that everywhere 
there is crisp English scattered all the way through, with apt suggestion and original 
thought, that proves very pleasant to read and ponder over." — Churlestoivn Advertiser. 

"Mr. Wheildon has been known for half a century in this State as a lecturer, editor, 
and practical printer; and in all departments of labor, mental or manual, to which he has 
given bis attention, he has been industrious and earnest. As a thinker he is practical, sa- 
gacious, and logical; and his style of composition is clear and agreeable." — Boston Journal. 

'• A notable book, at least in respect of its history, is .Mr. Wheildon's ' Contributions to 
Thought.' . . . It is not every author who could be his own printer, and supplement 
so much really excellent thought by so much practical skill. But the book is more than a 
curiosity : . . . it is a collection of thoughtful essays, the product of a cultivate d and re- 
flecting miud, and pervaded by a wise and wuolesome spirit." — The Congregalionalist. 



Copies of the "New History of the Battle of Bunker Hill," and of "The 
Siege and Evacuation of Boston and Charlestown," in one volume, bound 
in boards, may l>e had at No. 2 Sta'to Street, Boston, and will be sent by 
mail, postpaid, on receipt of price, SI. 



History of Beacon Hill, New History of the Battle of Bunker Hill, and 
the Siegre and Evacuation of Boston and Charlestown, in one volume, with 
maps, engravings, and heliotypes, 8vo, pp. 290, price $1.50. 



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